Inside the human intestines
Chapter 1
The small intestine and its microscopic forests
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Chapter 2
The chemistry of nutrient capture
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Chapter 3
The large intestine as the recycling plant
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Chapter 4
The bustling world of the microbiome
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Inside the human intestines
Ch 2 · The chemistry of nutrient capture
Fun Fact
Fat detours: Unlike sugars and proteins, digested fats are too large for blood capillaries, so they take a scenic detour through your lymphatic system first.
Glossary
villus (noun)
A small, fingerlike projection on the surface of a mucous membrane. In 1561, Gabriele Falloppio first described these structures, which facilitate nutrient absorption in the small intestine.
A small, fingerlike projection on the surface of a mucous membrane. In 1561, Gabriele Falloppio first described these structures, which facilitate nutrient absorption in the small intestine.
Quiz
Which enzyme is specifically responsible for breaking down dietary fats into fatty acids?
Quiz
Where do large, absorbed fat molecules go immediately after leaving the intestinal cells?
Quiz
What source of cellular energy powers active transport pumps in the small intestine?
Quiz
Why must nutrients undergo active transport to cross cell membranes in the intestine?
Quiz
Which specialized proteins act as chemical scissors to break down food molecules in the gut?