School of Dentistry - Year 1 BDS curriculum

Plenary on "Gut secretion and absorption"        Professor Barry Campbell

1. the anatomy of the intestinal tract and its role in absorption and secretion
2. factors which influence absorption and secretion in the intestine to maintain overall daily gut fluid balance
3. the molecular and cellular mechanisms of enterocyte membrane transport of water and electrolytes
4. factors leading to malabsorption of water and electrolytes resulting in diarrhoea (excessive loss of water in the faeces)
5. why ingestion of glucose-electrolyte solution has proven to be such an effective therapeutic means of reducing fluid loss in patients with diarrhoea

Useful links

• Absorption of glucose and water
   
  
• Small Intestinal crypt cell secretion
   
  
• Diarrhoea
   
  
• Oral rehydration therapy
   
  
• Cholera and the WHO
   
  
• Additional references