Physiology, Motilin

Excerpt

Gastrointestinal hormones are peptides released into the portal system targeting specific cells. Gastrointestinal hormones are an essential part of the digestive system since they regulate smooth muscle contractions of the gastrointestinal system allowing the food to move throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Motilin is the hormone that is cyclically released during the fasted state and is released by the entero-endocrine cells (Mo cells) in the upper small intestine. Motilin stimulates gastric and small intestine motility, causing undigested food in these regions to move into the large intestine. This movement is also known as the migrating motor complex (MMC), or the interdigestive myoelectric complex. Motilin also stimulates the production of pepsin in the stomach chief cells, as well as the release of pancreatic polypeptide and somatostatin. Motilin has been associated with disturbed gastrointestinal motility. Motilin is reduced in pregnancy, during which there is gastrointestinal tract hypomotility. Furthermore, the motilin level is sensitive to the food ingested. Motilin levels decrease with the ingestion of glucose and decrease with fat.