What are the structures and processes involved in the absorption of food in the human gut.

Question

Describe the structures and processes involved in the absorption of food in the human gut.

Answer 1

Digested food is absorbed by the blood capillaries linning the intestinal villi. The absorption takes place by diffusion.

Answer 2

Digested food is absorbed via tiny foldings in the small intestine called villi. The Villi have a thin epithelial wall for faster absorption of food. The interior of the villus has a network of capillaries to carry away digested food and a tiny lymphatic vessel called a lacteal.

Products of carbohydrate digestion, glucose, and protein digestion, amino acids, are absorbed directly by diffusion into the capillary network. Products of fat/lipid digestion are absorbed into the lacteals and transported in the lymphatic system and returned to the bloodstream via the thoracic duct.

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