1. Topic 6.1 – Digestion & Absorption

2. Digestion of Large Food Molecules
Many of the food molecules that humans consume are much too large to be absorbed by the cells of the body, particularly the villi of the small intestine where absorption of molecules takes place.
As you will recall from topic 2 on the biological molecules, they are large molecules that need to be broken down into simpler components. For example, all complex carbohydrates are digested or broken down into their smallest component, glucose (sugar).

3. All large molecules have to broken down into molecules that are small enough to diffuse across the plasma membranes of the body’s cells.

4. Events in Digestion Ingestion – taking food in
Digestion – a series of chemical reactions that break down the ingested food into molecules that are small enough to pass across plasma membranes.
Absorption – uptake of small nutrient molecules by the body’s cells.
Transport & Assimilation –nutrients are delivered to all cells in your body via the circulatory system. They converted into fluid or solid parts of the organism or used in biochemical reactions of cells in the tissues of the body.

5. 6.1 S1 Production of an annotated diagram of the digestive system
Accessory organs
Alimentary canal
(GI tract)
A person produces over a litre of saliva a day!
Oral cavity
Salivary glands
Tongue
Pharynx
Esophagus
Stomach
IN your drawing book:
Annotate with the functions of each part
Liver
Gallbladder
Pancreas
Small intestine
Colon
Appendix
Large intestine
Rectum
Anus
Figure 22.6

6. The Stomach
large j-shaped organ attached to the esophagus at one end and the small intestine at the other.
food is temporarily stored while it mixes with gastric juices consisting of pepsin, hydrochloric acid and mucus.
It can hold about 1.5 L of food (digested into semi-solid mixture called chyme)

7. Gastric ulcers Are erosions of the stomach lining
Are often caused by a bacterium named Helicobacter pylori
Figure 22.11

8. 6.1 U1 The contraction of circular and longitudinal muscle of the small intestine mixes food with enzymes and moves it along the gut
Smooth muscle (short cells not elongated)
Often has continuous force with short period of vigorous contraction
Peristalsis occurs here as well and moves the food through the intestines
Circular muscles behind the food prevent the food from backing up
Longitudinal muscle contraction (at site of food) move it along the intestines
From esophagus to small intestine peristalsis moves food forward (vomiting is abdominal muscles)
- Moves slow through small intestine (cm at a time) to give time for gastric juice to mix with food leading to faster absorption

9. 6.1 U2 The pancreas secretes enzymes into the lumen of the small intestine.
Pancreas is composed of two types of gland tissue: cells that produce hormones (insulin & glucagon) and cells that produce digestive enzymes.
Hormones made and released by the stomach regulate the production of enzymes by the pancreas (responds to food contents).
Enteric nervous system plays a role as well (stomach has a mind of its own!)
The pancreas contains ducts which are small tubes which all lead to the main pancreatic duct.
Hydrolases released by the pancreas include:
Amylase (digests starches)
Lipase (digests triglycerides and phospholipids)
Proteases (or endopeptidase – digests proteins and peptides)

10. Source: [Frank, A. , Deng, Sh. et al
Source: [Frank, A., Deng, Sh. et al. 2004, Transplantation for type I diabetes: comparison of vascularized whole-organ pancreas with isolated pancreatic islets. 240: ]

11. 6.1 U3 Enzymes digest most macromolecules in food into monomers in the small intestine.
The pancreas secretes enzymes into the lumen of the small intestine and the following chart summarizes the effect of the hydrolases:
Biological Molecule
Enzyme
Digested Form
Starch
amylase
maltose
Proteins & polypeptides
protease
Shorter peptides
Phospholipids
phospholipase
Fatty acids, glycerol & phosphate
Triglycerides
lipase
Fatty acids & glycerol or fatty acids monoglycerides

12. Amino acid Protein Hydrolase (pepsin) Sugar Hydrolase (amylase)
Fatty acid
Glycerol
Hydrolase (lipase)
(b) Hydrolases
Figure 22.4b

13. Enzymes and Digestion
Digestion is completed in the small intestine by enzymes produced in gland cells of the walls of the small intestine.
Molecule
Enzyme
Digested Form
DNA & RNA
Nucleases
Nucleotides
Maltose
Maltase
Glucose
Lactose
Lactase
Glucose & glalactose
Sucrose
Sucrase
Glucose & fructose
Peptides
Exopeptidases
dipeptides
Dipeptides
dipeptidases
Amino acids

14. Small Intestine
The small intestine has three different portion or sections; the duodenum, jejunum and ileum.

15. 6.1 S2 Identification of tissue layers in transverse sections of the small intestine viewed with a microscope or in a micrograph
First…without the EM picture
Goblet cells
Lymph vessel also called lacteal

16. Now try and label the parts on the diagram on page 281 of your text
Examine these!
E-epithelium
SM-submucosa
M-muscosa
IM- inner circular muscle
OM-outer longitudinal muscle
Now try and label the parts on the diagram on page 281 of your text

17. Digestion and the Small Intestine
Digestion of the macromolecules is completed in the small intestine and the end products of nutrient digestion are also absorbed here. Food spends hours here due to the length of the small intestine and to allow for completion of digestion and absorption. 90% of absorption takes place here.
Once the food has been digested and the nutrients have been absorbed the only thing left to empty into the large intestine is waste products and water. Some substances such as cellulose (main component of dietary fibre) remain undigested because humans lack the enzymes required to break it down.

18. 6.1 U4 Villi increase the surface area of epithelium over which absorption is carried out.
The villi that line the small intestine greatly increase the surface area for absorption. They contain capillaries and a lacteal for the transport of nutrients.
The villi are only one cell layer thick so it is easy for nutrients to diffuse across the cells. This layer is called the epithelium layer.
The surface area greatly influences the rate of absorption. An adult small intestine is about 7m in length and mm in width. The inner surface is highly folded and contains the villi which further increase the surface area.
Each villus measures between 0.5 and 1.5 mm in length and there are approximately 40 villus per square mm of small intestine making the surface 10x larger.

19. 6.1 U5 Villi absorb monomers formed by digestion as well as mineral ions and vitamins
Epithelium of the villi needs to protect the body (from harmful substances) but at the same time be permeable to nutrients.
Other absorbed substances not needed:
-harmful substances (liver detoxifies)
food color and flavour chemicals
Small amounts of bacteria (wbc’s in liver destroy)
Nutrients absorbed are:
- glucose, fructose, amino acids and other monosaccharides
- Any of the 20 amino acids used to make proteins
- Fatty acids, monoglyceride and glycerol
- Nucleotide (DNA/RNA) bases
Other absorbed substances needed (but no digesting needed):
Mineral ions (ie. calcium, potassium, sodium)
vitamins (ie. Vitamin C)

21. 6.1 U6 Different methods of membrane transport are required to absorb different nutrients.

22. Large Intestine
The large intestine, also known as the colon receives the waste products of digestion from the small intestine.
The material that passes into the colon contains water and any unabsorbed or undigested food.
There is an ascending, transverse and descending portion of the colon.

23. Function of the Large Intestine
The major function of the large intestine is the absorption of water. Water is reabsorbed through the walls of the colon along with any small molecules that may be dissolved in the water.
The colon also hosts a large number of naturally occurring E. coli bacteria with whom we have a symbiotic relationship. Our colon provides the bacteria with nutrients, water and a warm environment and in turn they synthesize vitamin K and keep our colon healthy.
Any food that remains undigested or unused by us or the bacteria is eliminated by the body as feces.

24. See assignment completed in class.
6.1 A1 Processes occurring in the small intestine that result in the digestion of starch and transport of the products of digestion to the liver
See assignment completed in class.

25. Read pages 287-88 in text to prepare for the next lab day.
6.1 A2 Use of dialysis tubing to model absorption of digested food in the intestine
Read pages in text to prepare for the next lab day.