BETA
Chapter 1
The small intestine and its microscopic forests
Chapter 2
The chemistry of nutrient capture
Chapter 3
The large intestine as the recycling plant
Chapter 4
The bustling world of the microbiome
YOUR GOAL
Master of Inside the human intestines
Ch 4 · The bustling world of the microbiome
artiteacher Drag nutrients through the intestinal walls to discover how our bodies absorb them.
artiteacher The Microbiome
Villi fold it up, villi fold it up! Drinking it all in, we never stop!
artiteacher The gut and brain communicate constantly through nerves, hormones, and chemical signals.
artiteacher Gut bacteria ferment undigested carbohydrates to produce energy molecules that fuel colon cells.
Fun Fact
Serotonin central: Although serotonin is famous for regulating mood in your brain, about ninety percent of this chemical is actually manufactured in your gut.
Glossary
microbiome (noun)
The community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that inhabit a particular environment. These microscopic organisms inhabit the human gut, fermenting indigestible fibers to produce essential vitamins and energy.
The community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that inhabit a particular environment. These microscopic organisms inhabit the human gut, fermenting indigestible fibers to produce essential vitamins and energy.
Quiz
What energetic compounds are produced when gut bacteria ferment undigested plant fibers?
Quiz
Which major nerve serves as the primary communication highway between the gut and the brain?
Quiz
Why has the enteric nervous system in the gut been nicknamed the "second brain"?
Quiz
What percentage of the body's immune cells reside within the walls of the intestines?
Quiz
What neurotransmitter, famous for regulating mood, is mostly produced in the human gut?