Chapter 1

Digestion,
Absorption,
Transport, and
Excretion of
Nutrients
Digestive System

 Reduces particle size

 Helps to absorb micronutrients and trace
elements
 Sets a physical and immunologic barrier

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The Digestive System
Sites of Secretion, Digestion, and Absorption
Digestion in the Stomach

 Different nutrients leave the stomach at

different rates:
—Carbohydrates first, followed by protein,
fat, and fibrous foods

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 Summary of Enzymatic Digestion
and Absorption

Secretion Enzyme Substrate Action Final

Product
Saliva Ptyalin Starch Hydrolysis
to form
dextrins
Gastric Pepsin Protein Hydrolysis
juice of peptide
bonds
Gastric lipase Fats Hydrolysis
into free
fatty acids

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 Summary of Enzymatic Digestion
and Absorption —cont’d

Secretion Enzyme Substrate Action Final

Product
Pancreatic Lipase Fat Hydrolysis to Fatty
exocrine mono- acids
secretion glycerides
Cholesterol Cholesterol Hydrolysis to Choles-
esterase esters of terol
cholesterol
and fatty acids
alpha- Starch, Hydrolysis Dextrin,
Amylase dextrins maltose

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 Summary of Enzymatic Digestion
and Absorption —cont’d

Secretion Enzyme Substrate Action Final

Product
Pancreatic Trypsin Protein Hydrolysis Polypeptides
exocrine
secretion
Chymotrypsin Protein Hydrolysis Polypeptides
Carboxy- Polypep- Hydrolysis Amino acids
peptidase tides
Ribonuclease Ribonu- Hydrolysis Mono-
cleic acids nucleotides
Elastase Fibrous Hydrolysis Amino acids
protein

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 Summary of Enzymatic Digestion
and Absorption —cont’d

Secretion Enzyme Substrate Action Final

Product
Brush border Carboxy- Polypep- Hydrolysis Amino
enzymes peptidase; tides acids
aminopep-
tidase;
dipeptidase
Entero- Trypsino- Activates to Polypep-
kinase gen trypsin tidases and
peptides
Sucrase Sucrose Hydrolysis Glucose,
fructose

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 Summary of Enzymatic Digestion
and Absorption —cont’d

Secretion Enzyme Substrate Action Final

Product
Brush Isomaltase Dextrin Hydrolysis Glucose
border
enzymes
Maltase Maltose Hydrolysis Glucose
Lactase Lactose Hydrolysis Glucose,
galactose
Nucleotidases Nucleic acid Hydrolysis Nucleotides
Nucleosidases Nucleosidases Hydrolysis Purine and
and pyrimidine
phosphorylase bases

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Features of Digestion and Absorption

 92% to 97% of the diet is absorbed

 Small intestine—key role in digestion
and absorption
 Intestines: 7 meters long
—Villi and microvilli/brush border

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Diagram of Villi of the Human Intestine
Refeeding after Starvation

 GI tract compromised after starvation

 Feeding results in cellular proliferation,
which restores normal gastrointestinal
architecture and function after a few days

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Lipids

 The major portion of fat digestion takes

place in the small intestine as a result of
pancreatic lipase

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Summary of Fat Absorption
Transport Pathways through the Cell Membrane
Large Intestine

 5 feet long
 Bacterial action to produce gases and
organic acids
 Nutrients formed here—vitamin K,
thiamin, vitamin B12, riboflavin

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Colonic Fermentation of Malabsorbed
Carbohydrate and Fiber
The Gradual Breakdown of Large Starch
Molecules
Process of Digestion of Carbohydrate
Sites of Secretion and Absorption into
Gastrointestinal Tract
Neuropeptide Hormones

 There are more than 100 peptide

hormones
—GABA
—Norepinephrine
—Acetylcholine
—Neurotensin
—Neuropeptide Y
—Serotonin (5-HT)
—Nitric oxide
—Substance P
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Hormones and Gastrointestinal
Function

 Gastrin
 Secretin
 Cholecystokinin (CCK)
 Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)
 Motilin
 Somatostatin

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