Handbook of Physiology: Section 6: The Gastrointestinal System Volume I: Motility and Circulation, Parts 1 & 2

Since the publication of the first volume on gastrointestinal motility in the Handbook of Physiology (1968), there has been an impressive development of new information, new methods and new understanding of motility. These advances span all levels of organization from single smooth muscle cells and neurons to integrated organ function,and they are expertly documented by the authors of this edition. Parallel progress in understanding the vascular system and lymphatics of the alimentary canal over the past 20 years is reviewed in equal detail. Among the topics given authoritative coverage are the ultrastructure of gastrointestinal smooth muscle, the extracellular matrix, and the mechanical properties of the musculature; electrical and chemical behavior of gut neurons and the immunocytochemical localization of neurotransmitters; the unique pattern of motility in the interdigestive state; measurement of intraluminal pressures and electrical and contractile activity at all levels of the gastrointestinal tract; abnormalities associated with parasitic infections; enterotoxins, emesis and surgical perturbations that shed light on normal mechanisms; the basic structure and ultrastructure of the gut vasculature; regional hemodynamics and regulation of the digestive circulation; and neuromuscular transmission in the gut musculature and its neurohormonal control. Overall, the book provides an unparalleled view of gastrointestinal motor and circulatory function. It will be of great use to a wide spectrum of readers, including physiologists, gastroenterologists, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows.