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On an interesting note. Why doesn't the stomach digest itself?

I wonder if there's more to it than just bicarbonate from gastric mucus lining the stomach.

MrX wrote:On an interesting note. Why doesn't the stomach digest itself?

I wonder if there's more to it than just bicarbonate from gastric mucus lining the stomach.

It's mainly just a lining of gastric mucus that protects it from the acids. If the epithelial cells don't produce enough mucus, things like ulcers can happen.

I found this website which I don't quite completely understand, but I /think/ it means that there are also proteins that can repair damage done to the stomach lining.

Peptic ulcers would mainly be due to chronic inflammation by H.pylori bacteria and not just insufficient production of gastric mucus if I remember correctly from Microbe Mission.

The article was describing how use of a class of anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDs affect prostaglandins, an inflammatory agent that promotes bicarbonate secretion and inhibit acid release. But then, one would not be taking NSAIDs for no good reason, so I am still unsure of how the stomach would normally prevent auto digestion.

mnstr's right about the lining itself being the main protective factor, since when ulcers do occur it's because acid has gotten past the mucus layers, but you are correct about Helicobacter pylori being the main cause of peptic ulcers (that or an overproduction of HCl, but rarely an underproduction of mucus, as I understand). Don't bicarbonate levels in the stomach naturally rise only after digestion in the stomach is completed (i.e. not all the time --> bicarbonate is not the main factor protecting the stomach)?

For anyone looking for a good textbook to use, Hole's Anatomy and Physiology is great.

TheFencer wrote:I've never done Anatomy, though I've always wanted to. This is my last year in B, but no one wants to partner up with me to do this year's subject, believing it to be too much exhausting work. Our team works in pairs, standards, really, for every event. Do you think it would be possible to achieve decent results with just one person participating? I'm also still stacked up on what events I want to do, so this'll probably input the finalization for what events I'll be doing.

It is certainly possible, but I personally recommend having at least a partner that would help with reading off your notes and maybe as a scribe for the test. I've gone into events like that and done great. If Anatomy is something you really want to do, go for it! Again, it is absolutely fine to try to do an event solo. Having one person who does notes and knows everything is almost the same as having that one person and a random helper, the duo just gets done faster and possibly gets a couple more right if the partner knows a little bit about the subject. Good luck deciding on your events and getting a suitable partner/helper if you choose Anatomy!

For division B, would it be helpful to know details about the spinal cord? Its not on the rules, but the rules are pretty vague so I'm not sure how much info on it to include

strawberrygirl wrote:For division B, would it be helpful to know details about the spinal cord? Its not on the rules, but the rules are pretty vague so I'm not sure how much info on it to include

I'd definitely want to know about the spinal cord since it is a major part of the nervous system. You should learn all the nervous-related components of the spinal cord. As for skeletal system-related anatomy, this diagram should be enough to suffice.

For division C, is the info in Campbell & Reece sufficient enough to get through regionals? Personally, it seems pretty vague and condensed into ten pages, but that's the only book I have anywhere close to anatomy.

alczha wrote:For division C, is the info in Campbell & Reece sufficient enough to get through regionals? Personally, it seems pretty vague and condensed into ten pages, but that's the only book I have anywhere close to anatomy.

Depends on what you mean by "to get through". I'd do some online research on topics that your book does not cover. Maybe visit a local library to find other books as well.