Question

Explain the mechanisms of self protection that exists in the stomach of a hindgut fermenting mammal.

Answer 1

Mucus is a mucoprotein, secreted by mucus neck cells of the gastric glands and surface mucus cells in fundus, body and other parts of stomach. It protects the gastric wall by the following ways:
Mucus:
i. Protects the stomach wall from irritation or mechanical injury, by virtue of its high viscosity.
ii. Prevents the digestive action of pepsin on the wall of the stomach, particularly gastric mucosa.   
iii. Protects the gastric mucosa from hydrochloric acid of gastric juice because of its alkaline nature and its acid­combining power.