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

Pregnancy - fungal infections, Pregnancy - Fungal Infections Amphoteric...

Pregnancy - Fungal Infections Amphotericin B is the preferred treatment for deep fungal infections during pregnancy. Fluconazole is teratogenic in animals and a same pattern of

Explain about hypothalamus, Explain about Hypothalamus Another importan...

Explain about Hypothalamus Another important part of brain is hypothalamus. It is very small in sie. It controls many important functions which are as follows:  Blood pre

What is cyanotic spells, What is Cyanotic Spells ? Hypercyanotic or Cy...

What is Cyanotic Spells ? Hypercyanotic or Cyanotic spell is a pediatric emergency, which requires prompt recognition, and intervention to prevent disabling cerebro-vascular i

What are interferons, Interferons are small glycoproteins formed by virus-i...

Interferons are small glycoproteins formed by virus-infected cells that inhibit viral infection. They are heterogeneous. Gamma interferons induce MHC class II antigens in macrophag

Physical and chemical factors that affect the pasteurization, Define the Ph...

Define the Physical and Chemical Factors That Affect the Pasteurization? There are a few other physical and chemical factors that affect the pasteurization method. These involv

Stratification, Stratification On the basis of the variation in air tem...

Stratification On the basis of the variation in air temperature. the atmosphere has been divided vertically into four layers: (figure shown below) thee troposphere, stratospG,

Concept of fitness, While discussing the Darwinian premise of natural selec...

While discussing the Darwinian premise of natural selection we observed that the term selection is synonymous with non-random reproduction, and that the success of the survivors is

Define chromatography - basic separation technique, Define Chromatography -...

Define Chromatography - Basic Separation Technique? Chromatography is the most effective technique for the separation, purification and identification of one or more biological

Complications of diverticular disease, Q. Complications of diverticular dis...

Q. Complications of diverticular disease? The many complications of the disease include the 'following conditions: • A perforation (hole) in the intestine leading to perito

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