Hypogastrinemia and Sphincter Incompetence

Abstract

The human gastrointestinal tract is characterized by a sphincter mechanism at each junctional area. Although the function of these sphincters is not entirely clear, there is reasonable evidence that their major role is to prevent the regurgitation of luminal contents from one portion of the gastrointestinal tract to another. Recently, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES),^{1 2 3} pyloric,^{4 , 5} choledochal (TM Lin, personal communication) and ileocecal⁶ sphincters have all been shown to respond to the gastrointestinal hormones. The responses of the sphincters to the hormones differed. The LES contracted in response to gastrin,^{1 , 2} but the choledochal,⁶ pyloric⁵ and ileocecal⁶ sphincters were inhibited by . . .