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

Can flying insects beat their wings with great speed, Q. Why, even though t...

Q. Why, even though they have an open circulatory system, can flying insects like flies beat their wings with great speed? In insects the circulatory system is open but this sy

Meaning of cellular secretion, Cell secretion is the elimination to the ext...

Cell secretion is the elimination to the exterior of substances formed by the cell (for example, hormones, mucous, sweat, etc.)

Is the ventricle lumen larger during systole, Is the ventricle lumen larger...

Is the ventricle lumen larger during systole or during diastole? Systole is the stage of the cardiac cycle on which the ventricles contract. So the lumen of these chambers is d

Types of parthenogenesis, TYPES OF PARTHENOGENESIS - 1 .      NATURAL...

TYPES OF PARTHENOGENESIS - 1 .      NATURAL PARTHENOGENESIS - In many animals natural parthenogenesis is common process & is a method of reproduction. It is of two typ

Explain nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners, Q. Explain Nutritive and No...

Q. Explain Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Sweeteners? Nutritive Sweeteners: We know some sweeteners like glucose, honey, molasses, fruit juice, dextrose, maltose, mannitol, sorbit

Preventive steps for global warming, Preventive steps for global warming : ...

Preventive steps for global warming :  Growing trees in vacant places. Growing social forests and protect them. Promoting abundant growth of phytoplankton plant species in marine

Adoption of technological developments, Normal 0 false false ...

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

Who was charles darwin, Who was Charles Darwin? Charles Darwin was an Eng...

Who was Charles Darwin? Charles Darwin was an English naturalist born in 1809 and considered the father of the theory of evolution. At the end of the year 1831, before turning 23

Explain indications for surgery of congenital pulmonary, Explain Indication...

Explain Indications for Surgery of Congenital Pulmonary Stenosis ? Interventional treatment is required for all neonates presenting with critical pulmonary valvar stenosis. Thi

Sex determination - reproduction, Sex Determination - Reproduction Se...

Sex Determination - Reproduction Sex, whether an individual will be a male or a female is determined at fertilisation, and this directs and controls all the later processes i

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