Raheel Ahmed

1A ISM
Wysong
Evidence of Learning #2: Gastroenterology

Source:

"Gastroenterology." ACP Online. American College of Physicians, n.d. Web. 03 Feb.

2017.

<https://www.acponline.org/about-acp/about-internal-medicine/subspecialties/gas

troenterology>

Date:

February 2, 2017

Analysis:

Gastroenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine that centers on the

diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and organs associated

with the digestive system as a whole. Gastroenterologists have to consider diseases

and medical conditions associated with hollow organs of the digestive system -- the

esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum -- and the solid organs of the

digestive system -- the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Hollow organs are the main

components of the GI tract, which means that they are directly responsible for breaking

down, churning, and eventually, digesting food. Solid organs are external organs that

are attached to the GI tract, which allow for further breakdown of food by supplying

various enzymes and emulsifiers. All gastroenterologists must know all functions and

roles that each individual organ plays within the digestive system.

Hollow organs function in order to ultimately digest food and absorb nutrients.

First, a person breaks down food in the mouth by chewing and salivating. The scraps of
food are pushed down the esophagus with rhythmic spasms of smooth muscle in the

esophagus. Eventually, all the food is collected into the stomach, where gastric acid

immediately begins breaking down food along with digestive enzymes from the

pancreas and emulsifiers like bile from the liver. After food is broken down, the food is

pushed through the intestines where it is absorbed as it is pushed along the inner

intestinal lining towards the rectum, from which any waste will be removed.

Solid organs support breakage of food in the GI Tract. Liver produces bile, which

rearranges molecules of food and separates fats so that enzymes can reach them much

faster and speed up the digestive process. The pancreas, however, sends

carbohydrases, which help catabolize sugars, lipases, which help break down fats, and

proteases, which help break down proteins. The constant muscle movement and input

of enzymes into the stomach and intestines helps break down food exponentially fast

and allow for people to quickly digest food and have enough energy to carry out our

daily processes.

The applications for this in the future are certainly vast, gastroenterologists often

contribute greatly to research that help scientists develop solutions to prevalent

digestive system conditions and to develop new ways to increase nutrient absorption,

absorption speed, and advanced absorption of medicine.