Final answer:
Gastrin is a hormone that stimulates gastric glands to secrete hydrochloric acid, which is necessary for digestion in the stomach. The gastric phase of digestion begins when food reaches the stomach.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gastrin is a hormone involved in the digestive process, primarily responsible for stimulating the secretion of gastric acid by the parietal cells in the stomach lining. The correct answer to what gastrin does is b. it stimulates the stomach glands to release the components of hydrochloric acid to maintain an acidic pH.
The gastric phase begins when food reaches the stomach, which is answer b for the gastric phase question. This phase is critical for processing the ingested materials, as the presence of proteins in food triggers the secretion of gastrin, leading to the production of stomach acid necessary for protein digestion.
- Gastrin stimulates stomach glands.
- Gastrin causes secretion of hydrochloric acid.
- Gastric phase begins when food reaches the stomach.