Chapter 17, Problem 45P

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The substances resulting from the digestion of carbohydrate, protein and fat molecules which are absorbed by the small intestine.

Introduction:

The tubular organ that extends from stomach’s pyloric sphincter to the large intestine is known as the small intestine. It consists of three portions duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The tiny projections throughout the inner surface of the small intestine are known as Intestinal villi. They increase the surface area greatly which helps in the absorption of nutrients.

The free surface of enterocytes has fine extensions of epithelial cells known as microvilli which form brush border and facilitates the process of absorption by increasing the surface area and number of intestinal enzymes. The intestinal enzymes are peptidase, lipase, enterokinase, sucrase, maltase, and lactase.