What is the function of the pyloric sphincter?

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The function being tested is how the pyloric sphincter controls gastric emptying. This ring of smooth muscle sits at the end of the stomach and acts like a valve between the stomach and the duodenum. It stays mostly closed to hold chyme in and mix it with gastric secretions, then opens briefly to release small, controlled amounts into the small intestine. Doing so protects the duodenum from being overwhelmed by acidity and allows time for the chyme to mix with bile and pancreatic juice for proper digestion. The opening is regulated by neural signals and hormonal cues (such as gastrin, secretin, and CCK) that adjust the rate of gastric emptying based on the content and acidity of the stomach. Other options don’t fit because nutrient absorption occurs mainly in the small intestine, mucus is produced by stomach lining, and digestive enzymes are secreted by gastric glands, not by the pyloric sphincter itself.