Explain the small intestine, Biology

Assignment Help:

Explain the Small Intestine?

The small intestine is made up of three sections, the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. Bile from the liver and pancreatic enzymes are released into the first section of the small intestine, the duodenum, where most of the overall digestion occurs although it is short - only about 25 cm. Their arrival triggers the production of mucus and the release of digestive enzymes from the glands at the base of projections called villi found in the mucus lining of the intestine. Villi function to expand the exposed surface area of the cell membranes in order to increase the rate of absorption of processed nutrients passing through the digestive tract. Each finger-like villus membrane surface is itself covered with millions of microvilli - even tinier finger-like projections of cell membrane, giving the small intestine a huge surface area for transport of nutrients. Enzymes secreted by the intestinal wall include lipases to split fats into glycerol and fatty acids; peptidases that break proteins down into amino acids; and maltase, lactase, and sucrase, that convert disaccharides into monosaccharides. The products of digestion are delivered to the circulatory system by a process called absorption. Absorption takes place through the villi into capillaries and lymph vessels called lacteals that line the intestine. Fatty acids formed in the interior space or lumen of the intestine diffuse into the mucosa, where triglycerides are synthesized and combined with cholesterol and phospholipids, then coated with protein to form water-soluble chylomicrons, which are carried into the lacteals and eventually into the blood stream near the heart through the large lymph duct called the thoracic duct. The products of digestion of sugars and proteins are carried by the capillaries to the liver, where the glucose is converted to glycogen for storage, and the rest of the nutrients are filtered for detoxification and then distributed by the blood stream to the rest of the body.


Related Discussions:- Explain the small intestine

Explain fermented vegetable foods, Normal 0 false false fal...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Explain the treatment of vitamin a deficiency, Explain the Treatment of vit...

Explain the Treatment of vitamin A deficiency? All forms of vitamin A deficiency are treated with a massive oral dose of vitamin A in oil (200,000 IU), immediately after diagno

Vesicular stomatitis, Vesicular stomatitis Vesicular sto matitis virus ...

Vesicular stomatitis Vesicular sto matitis virus be longs to the ge nus Vesiculovirus in fa mily Rhabdoviridae. The disease clinically resembles foot-and-mouth disease, but is

Which are the cell organelles that participate in cell, Q. Which are the ce...

Q. Which are the cell organelles that participate in cell division and in the formation of cillia and flagella of some eukaryotic cells? The organelles that participate in the

Korarchaeotes, what is the effect that korarchaeotes have on humans?

what is the effect that korarchaeotes have on humans?

Chronic bronchitis, Chronic Bronchitis Chronic Bronchitis is defined ...

Chronic Bronchitis Chronic Bronchitis is defined clinically as hypersecretion of mucus and recurrent episode of productive cough for a period of 3 months per year at least tw

Sequence of cardiac activation, Sequence of Cardiac Activation Depolar...

Sequence of Cardiac Activation Depolarisation is initiated by an impulse form the SA node. Impulse spreads through both atria. Inter-atrial conduction and atrial myocardial

What is the cell division process, What is the cell division process direct...

What is the cell division process directly related to the embryonic growth? The embryonic growth depends directly on mitosis. By this type of cell division the zygote separates

Explain dehydration, Explain Dehydration Dehydration is one of the anc...

Explain Dehydration Dehydration is one of the ancient food processing techniques.  Dehydration means to completely remove water under controlled  conditions, in such a way

Describe in detail about the huntington''s disease, Describe in detail abou...

Describe in detail about the Huntington's disease The brain of a person who has died as a result of Huntington's disease or Alzheimer's disease will look abnormal even to the

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd