Basic electrical rhythm

Except in the esophagus and the proximal portion of the stomach, the smooth muscle of the digestive tract has spontaneous rhythmic fluctuations in membrane potential between -65 and -45 mV. This basic electrical rhythm (REB) starts in the interstitial cells of Cajal, stellate mesenchymal pacemaker cells with features similar to smooth muscle, which emit multiple long processes to the intestinal smooth muscle. It is uncommon for REB alone to cause muscle contraction, but overlapping spike potentials in the portions of greater depolarization of REB waves increase muscle tension.

Many polypeptides and neurotransmitters influence REB. For example, acetylcholine increases the number of spikes and smooth muscle tension, while adrenaline has the opposite effect.

The frequency of REB in the stomach, duodenum, distal part of the ileum, cecum and sigmoid is 4, 12, 8, 9 and 16 waves / minute respectively.

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