What is the physiological significance of 'retropulsion' in the stomach?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: It forces the bolus back to grind solids into finer chyme
When a peristaltic wave reaches the antrum, the pylorus closes. This forces the gastric contents back into the stomach, effectively grinding solid food into smaller particles (chyme) through mechanical shearing.
Keep practicing
More Motility and peristalsis questions
- Which hormone is the primary mediator for inducing gallbladder contraction and simultaneously relaxing the Sphincter of Oddi?
- The 'Law of the Gut' (Polarity of the intestine) primarily refers to the fact that:
- Which of the following will decrease the rate of gastric emptying?
- Secondary peristalsis in the esophagus is distinguished from primary peristalsis because it:
- Which movement is most responsible for the mixing of chyme with digestive enzymes in the small intestine?
- What characterizes 'mass movements' in the large intestine?