Question

Discuss mechanisms of absorption.

Answer 1

The Villi in the small intestine absorb most digestive end products. Passive, active, and assisted transport methods to absorb digested food. The processes of absorption of different end products of digestion are discussed below.

Simple Diffusion: Diffusion absorbs small quantities of simple sugars like monosaccharides, amino acids, and certain electrolytes. The concentration gradient influences the transit of these chemicals into the bloodstream.

Facilitated Transport: Carrier ions such as Na⁺ aid in the absorption of fructose and several amino acids. This approach is termed Facilitated transportation.

Transport of Fatty Acids and Glycerol: Because these molecules are insoluble, they cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream. They are initially formed into micelles, which are minute droplets. The micelles go to the intestinal mucosa. Here, these micelles are transformed into very tiny protein coats. These globules are called chylomicrons. The chylomicrons are carried into the villi's lymph vessels. They are subsequently released into the bloodstream through lymph veins.