ADVANCED GASTROINTESTINAL PHYSIOLOGY
Graduate Institute of Physiology
National Taiwan University College of Medicine
課程編號
全/半年
授課教師
上課時間
備註
441 M2800
學分數
半年
必/選修
余佳慧
開課系所
星期三 34
上課地點
修課人數上限 25 人，初選外系人數上限
籍。
Yu LCH
2
選修
生理所
基醫 1003
10 人。英文授課，英文書
This course is intended for further in-depth study of the gastrointestinal
physiology. Undergraduate students over forth year, and graduate students in medicineand biology-related studies are encouraged to take the course. The course is offered as
two credits per school term. The course content includes lectures and discussions of
scientific papers in the field of gastrointestinal physiology. Students will be graded by
participation in class (10 %), an essay (30 %), and presentations (60 %). The text of the
essay should be double-spaced and with a minimum of 10 pages not including figures,
tables, references or appendix. Please design two short essay questions with answers
based on your review in the appendix. Additional assignments for PhD students only,
please include two to three questions about what is still unknown in the field.
Functions of the gastrointestinal tract include motility, digestion, absorption,
secretion and barrier. The GI tract plays dual roles, one serving as the first line for
nutrient uptake and the other as a defense system against microbial pathogens. The
gastrointestinal tract is the largest reservoir of commensal bacteria in the human body,
providing nutrient and space for the survival of microbes while concurrently operating
mucosal barriers to confine and restrict the microbial population. The turnover rate of
intestinal epithelial cells along the crypt/villus axis that involves processes of
proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and shedding is crucial for maintenance of gut
homeostasis. Recent scientific studies suggest dynamic interaction among enteric nervous
system, immune system and the gastrointestinal mucosa. The lymphoid tissues in the
gastrointestinal tract contain the largest number of immune cells in the body, termed gutassociated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The gastrointestinal immunity protects against
invasion of potential pathogens, and provides oral tolerance to food proteins without
developing an adverse immune response to unharmful dietary particles. The balance
between immunity and tolerance in the gut plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of
various gastrointestinal diseases.
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ADVANCED GASTROINTESTINAL PHYSIOLOGY
Graduate Institute of Physiology
National Taiwan University, College of Medicine
Yu LCH
Introduction
1. Gastrointestinal histology, and physiology
Digestion and absorption:
2. Brush border enzymes: disaccharidases and peptidases
3. Nutrient transporters: sodium-dependent glucose and amino acid transporters,
GLUTs, di/tripeptide transporter PEPT1
Secretion:
4. Anion secretion: chloride and bicarbonate ions
5. Mucus secretion
Motility and neural regulation, brain-gut axis:
6. Bowel distension, intestinal transit, and pain perception
7. Brain-gut axis
Barrier function:
8. Chemical barrier function: defensin and cathelicidin
9. Physical barrier function: tight junctions and epithelial permeability
Crypt-villus axis
10. Epithelial cell apoptosis/proliferation and carcinogenesis
11. Crypt stem cell proliferation
Commensals and probiotics
12. Gut commensal bacteria and enteric dysbiosis
13. Symbonts/Probiotics and gut immunity
Intestinal innate immunity: neutrophils and macrophages
14. Intestinal macrophages: phagocytes, activation vs. anergy
Intestinal adaptive immunity and Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
15. Peyer’s patches and isolated lymphoid follicles
Oral tolerance
16. Immune suppression and Treg cells
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