brush border cells of the small intestine research by: dr...

Research by: Dr. Kreiselman

Brush Border Cells of the

Small Intestine

Research by: Dr. Kreiselman

THIS CELL TYPE BELONGS TO

The Digestive System

THIS SYSTEM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR

breaking down the large molecules

in the food into their monomers.

StomachLiver Stomach

Small Intestine

Anus

Rectum

Liver

Large Intestine

Salivary Gland

Location of the

digestive

system in the

body:

Small Intestine

Brush Border Cells

= about 2 cells

20 micrometers

Microscopic images of brush

border cells

within the epithelia of the

small intestine:small intestine:

microvilli

FUNCTION OF BRUSH BORDER

CELLS

IN THE SMALL INTESTINE

WHAT DO THESE CELLS DO??

FUNCTION OF BRUSH BORDER

CELLS:

They do the last steps of digestion of

carbohydrates. They are the ones that

end up in contact with the blood that end up in contact with the blood that

collects the digested food.

Partially

digested food

molecules from

stomach,

intestine

Diffusion into

the blood

stream

FUNCTION OF BRUSH BORDER

CELLS: 2

IF THE BRUSHBORDER CELL DOES

NOT WORK PROPERLY, SUCH AS

DUE TO BACTERIA INFECTIONS,

There is no proper digestion of There is no proper digestion of

food, or the digested food does not

get to the body.

Also, inflammation is caused.

IF THE BRUSHBORDER CELL lack

microvilli, such as in inherited

microvillous atrophy,

It will cause the new-born baby to It will cause the new-born baby to

die.

Interactions of Brush Border cells

with other cells of the body:

Brush Border cells are more active

in digestion if they are exposed to

insulin and other hormones that insulin and other hormones that

have to do with digestion and

metabolism.

The Structure of the Brush Border

Cell supports its function:

The

microvilli

give a huge

Inside small

intestine

give a huge

surface area

for efficient

absorption

of nutrients.

Molecules in the Intestine Brush

Border cell that are found in any

cell:

Phospholipids,

Respiration proteins,Respiration proteins,

ATP,

More..

Molecules that are special to

intestine brush border cells:

Enzymes of digestion:

AmylaseAmylase

Cellulase

Invertase (Sucrase)

Peptidase

Malt Diastase (Maltase)

Specific molecule,

The enzyme amylase:

Interesting facts about brush border

cells:

•Intestinal epithelium cells have one of

the fastest rates of reproduction of any

tissue in the body. tissue in the body.

•With microvilli, the absorption is 300

times, as compared to a regular,

unfolded membrane.

Question to the audience:

1) Why are brush border cells called

this way?

2) What is the purpose of their brush-

like structure?like structure?

3) What part of the intestine are the

‘brushes’ facing – in or out of the

intestine?

For diseases and enzymes:

http://bodyecology.com/articles/gut-permeability.php#.UYbqHUpnDFA

RESOURCES THAT I USED:

For structure and function:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brush_border

About microvilli: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microvillus#Relationship_to_cell

Orders of Magnitude:

10

-8

10

-7

10

-5

10

-4

10

-1

10

me

ters