Cecum of guinea pig is a reservoir and sigmoid is a high-resistance conduit

Abstract

We compared the filling responses of the cecum and the sigmoid of the guinea pig using volumes up to 60 ml and 2.5 ml, respectively. In the isolated cecum, each 1-cm increment of hydrostatic pressure above zero led to accommodation of 10 ml volume; in the sigmoid, the yield pressure (at which accommodation first occurred) was 6 cm H₂O, and pressure increments up to 20 cm H₂O produced volume increments of less than 0.5 ml. Resting pressure at half-maximal filling was 5.0±0.7 cm H₂O for the sigmoid and 1.7±0.6 cm H₂O for the cecum. K⁺ depolarization led to a significant upward shift in the pressure curves of both segments. Ca²⁺ withdrawal decreased sigmoid and cecal pressures at some volumes. Distension of the cecum triggered intermittent contractions, which began with the shortening of the teniae and were associated with low-amplitude pressures and expulsion of a 5- to 10-ml volume. Distension of the sigmoid produced propagating contractions that were associated with high-amplitude pressures and lengthening; compartmentalization in the sigmoid prevented efflux from it, and volume inflow was not affected by pressure waves. Our observations indicate that its large capacity and great distensibility make the cecum suitable for reservoir functions, whereas its narrowness and lack of distensibility make the sigmoid a high-resistance conduit.