GI Disorder

Gastro-Intestinal disorder is mainly due to imbalance in the GI mucosa, which is protected by several defense mechanisms: Mucosal production of mucus and HCO3 creates a pH gradient from the gastric lumen with low pH to the mucosa with neutral pH. The mucus serves as a barrier for diffusion of acid and pepsin. Epithelial cells remove excess hydrogen ions (H+) via membrane transport systems and prevent back diffusion of hydrogen ions. Mucosal blood flow removes excess acid that has diffused across the epithelial layer.