This is a model of the human stomach that clearly shows the rugal folds. The inside of our stomach looks like this when it is empty. When we eat, these folds flatten out and the stomach expands. When we take a bite of food, it initially enters the esophagus, where waves of contracting muscle move the food down to the stomach via peristalsis. These contractions are so powerful that we can even eat our food upside down! Bacterial products, environmental toxins, and food antigens that enter the body through the foods we eat are usually destroyed by our stomach acid. If they get past the stomach, the lymphoid tissue in our small intestines – which are found in the lamina propria and submucosa of the ileum – contains specialized M cells that sample and present antigens from the food we eat to our immune cells. Our immune cells can then trigger an immune response to these antigens by creating specific antibodies that transport them across the epithelium to the gut to deal with the intraluminal antigen. This process also plays a role in food allergies. It’s an incredible concept to imagine that our body looks to improve its immune system each time we have a meal.
Don’t forget to eat your fruits and veggies today, my friends!
Written by Student Doctor: Navpreet Singh Badesha ©11/30/2016 All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: @mrs_angemi on Instagram
Inspired by: The incredible immune-system.
