Migratory motor complex – Mechanism
- In an empty stomach, a wave of depolarisation starts in the proximal stomach every 90 minutes
- This proceeds distally till the end of the ileum
- This wave of depolarisation is immediately followed by a peristaltic wave that starts in the proximal stomach and travels to the terminal ileum
- The depolarisation wave together with the peristaltic wave is known as the Migratory Myoelectric Complex (Migratory Motor Complex)
- It is one of the ways by which gastric motility influence intestinal motility (Another example being gastroileal reflex)
