Gastrointestinal functions

The motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are designed to subserve digestion and absorption, the primary homeostatic activities of the gut and its associated organs. To achieve these ends the GI tract possesses a sophisticated and complex intrinsic neuromuscular apparatus which, on the one hand, allows the gut to independently generate and modulate complex motor and secretory responses and, on the other, facilitates its interactions with the central nervous system and endocrine inputs. It is also critical to appreciate that the gut is a sensory organ and that, given their diverse functions, the various organs in the GI tract, not surprisingly, demonstrate particular motor and secretory properties adapted to their specific functions.