Chapter 3:

Digestion and Absorption

Learning outcomes
1. identify and describe the functions of each organ/system
involved in digestion, absorption mechanism
2. outline the steps involved in the digestion process of
carbohydrate, fat and protein
3. describe the absorption mechanism
To be use by the body,
food must be eaten and
digest, and the nutrient
must be absorbed and
transported to the cells of
the body.
Digestive system
WHAT IT DOES?

- Ingest and digest food

- absorbs nutrients into the blood
- Eliminates unabsorbed food residue
and other waste products

ORGAN OF DIGESTION

- The human digestive system consists

of the gastrointestinal tract plus the
accessory organs of digestion.
Gastroesophageal sphincter
- The esophagus is a
muscular tube connecting
the throat (pharynx) with
the stomach.
- The gastroesophageal
sphincter is a muscle that
regulates entry of food
into the stomach and
prevent food and acid
from moving back into
the esophagus.
Digestion
● The process of breaking food into
components small enough to be
absorbed into the body.
● Involves chemical and physical processes
○ Physical action – chewing, peristalsis,
segmentation
○ Chemical secretion – enzymes and
fluids
Physical action
Chemical secretions – Enzymes
- Substances in the
digestive organ are
released that change
food particles into
particle that are
chemically different
Priming for digestion and absorption
Organ of Digestion
Mouth
● Teeth and tongue
● Salivary glands – saliva,
mucus, salivary amylase and
lysozyme, lingual lipase
● Epiglottis
● Bolus
Esophagus
Stomach
● Mucus secreting cells / Goblet
cells
● Parietal cells
● Chief cells
● Endocrine cells / G cells
● Chyme
● Pyloric sphincter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hquzCXYlNg
Stomach
Small intestine
● Lumen (cavity)
● Epithelium - The intestinal
epithelium is the single cell
layer that form the luminal
surface (lining) of both the
small and large intestine
(colon) of the gastrointestinal
tract.
● Gland - Intestinal glands are
found in the epithelia of the
small intestine. (duodenum,
jejunum, and ileum)
● Villi – circular folds and finger
like projections
Small intestine
● The structure of the SI is
specialised to allow max.
Absorption of the nutrients.

● SI contains spiral folds, villi

(circular folds and finger like
projections) & microvilli
(cover each villi) , which
increase the absorptive
surface area.

● Enterocytes – absorptive cells

○ Microvilli
○ Brush border
Accessory organ
- Digestive secretions from
accessory organs aid digestion.
- The liver produces bile and
stored in the gallbladder.
- The gallbladder squirts bile into
duodenum when fat arrives
there, as emulsifier.
- Therefore, enzyme can break
them down into their
components parts.
- The pancreas secrete
bicarbonate ions and digestive
enzyme
Digestion phase
- Gastric/ stomach secretion are
regulated by nervous and
hormonal mechanisms
- Signal from 3 sites (brain,
stomach, SI) will stimulate or
inhibit gastric secretion.
- Regulation of gastric secretion
are divided into 3 phases:

- Cephalic phase

- Gastric phase

- Intestinal phase
Cephalic phase
The sight, smell, taste of food cause
the brain to signal an increase in
gastric secretion.
 - Food entering the stomach
Gastric phase stimulates
secretion
gastric/
(gastric
stomach
juice) by
stretching local nerves, signaling
the brain and causing gastrin
release.
- Gastric juices are produced by
gastric glands in the lining of the
stomach.
- Components of gastric juice is HCl
(kills most bacteria present in
food), mucus enzyme, hormone
and intrinsic factor.
- Gastric juice helps begin the
digestion of protein by unfolding
protein and activating the enzyme
pepsin.
- If the mucus layer is penetrated,
pepsin and acid can damage the
underlying tissue and cause peptic
ulcers.
 - Food entering the SI inhibit
Intestinal phase gastric secretion by triggering
nerves and hormonal signals.

- Secretin signals the pancreas

to secrete bicarbonate ions
(neutralise the acid in chyme)
and stimulates the liver to
secrete bile into the
gallbladder.

- CCK signals the pancreas to

secrete digestive enzyme and
cause the gallbladder to
contract and release bile into
the duodenum.
Regulation of GI function
- The endocrine system secretes
hormone that help regulates
how much we eat and how
quickly food and nutrients
travel through the digestive
system.
- The rate of stomach emptying
is determine by the size &
composition of the meal.
- A higher fat-meal would stay in
the stomach longest because
fat slows stomach emptying.
Macronutrients digestion
Carbohydrate Digestion
Protein Digestion
Lipid Digestion
Macronutrient Digestion Products
Absorption ● To enter cells, the nutrients must
cross the cell membrane.
● Passive
○ Simple diffusion
○ Facilitated diffusion
○ Osmosis
● Active
○ Carrier mediated
○ Vesicular – endocytosis/exocytosis
(transport a large particles and
macromolecules across plasma
membrane.
Passive diffusion
Active transport
Exocytosis - moves substances
from the cell interior to the
extracellular space.

Endocytosis - enable large particle

or macromolecules to enter the
cell.
Active transport
Active VS Passive Transport
Absorption in the small intestine
● Digestion complete when CHO, protein and fats
are reduced to smallest substances that can be
absorbed, and when vitamins and minerals are
released.
● Approximately 99% of CHO, 92% of protein and
95% of fat are digested and absorbed.
● Most nutrient absorbed in the SI.
● Water, sodium and some of the end products of
bacterial digestion are absorbed from the large
intestine.
Large intestine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k8Puxz54FQ&NR=1
Large Intestine
● Undigested and unabsorbed food materials
pass into large intestine through the ileocecal
valve.
● Bacteria in the large intestine continue to break
down some of the foo, often generating gas
and producing vitamin.
● The waste are stored in the rectum before
being eliminated through the anus.
Circulation of nutrients
Carbohydrate Transport and Liver Uptake
Protein Transport and Liver Uptake
 Lipid Transport and Lymphatic Circulation

http://www.wiley.com/college/grosvenor/0470197587/animations/Animat
ion_Lipid_Digestion_and_Absorption/Energy/media/content/dig/anima/d
ig5a/frameset.htm
Waste excretion
Nutrients storage
Common digestive problems
● Age
● Inadequate chewing
● Stress
● Food composition
● Digestive disorder
(lactose intolerance,
celiac disease (gluten
intolerance), Crohn’s
disease (inflammation
of the ileum),
diverticulosis (balloon-
like sac), parasitic
infection)