School of Medicine - Year 1 MBChB Curriculum

Lecture 13 - "Gut fluid balance - Intestinal Secretion & Absorption"       

1. secretion and absorption of water along the GI tract
2. role of the small and large bowel in maintaining fluid balance
3. factors which influence absorption and secretion in the intestine to maintain overall daily gut fluid balance
4. the molecular and cellular mechanisms of enterocyte membrane transport of water and electrolytes
5. factors leading to malabsorption of water and electrolytes resulting in diarrhoea (excessive loss of water in the faeces)
6. why ingestion of glucose-electrolyte solution (Oral rehydration therapy) has proven to be such an effective therapeutic means of reducing fluid loss in patients with diarrhoea (e.g. Cholera)

Useful links

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