7.

5 Absorption
1. Identify the small intestine as the region for the absorption of digested food
2. Explain the significance of villi and microvilli in increasing the internal surface area of the
small intestine
a. Describe the structure of a villus
b. Describe the roles of capillaries and lacteals in villi
3. State that water is absorbed in both the small intestine and the colon, but that most
absorption of water happens in the small intestine

Digested food  absorbed in Ileum  into blood or lymph

Adaptation for Efficient Absorption

a) very long – enough time for absorption to occur
b) highly folded with villi– large surface area for absorption

Villi = thousands of finger-like projections in the ileum wall

Label the structure of a villus & epithelial cells with microvilli

The continuous flow of blood ensures concentration gradient of nutrient molecules is maintained.
 Fat-soluble food molecules = enters lacteal
Eg: fatty acid, glycerol, Vitamin A, D, E & K
 Water-soluble food molecules = enters capillaries
Eg: glucose, amino acid, minerals, Vitamin C & B

The hepatic portal vein then delivers them to the liver.

Liver: determines what and how much nutrients enter the
blood stream based on body’s need.

FUNCTIONS OF LIVER
1) Manufacture bile
2) Store excess glucose as glycogen (excess glycogen is turned into fats)
3) Interconversion of glucose and glycogen to keep glucose level in blood constant
4) Transamination = Interconversion of different amino acids
5) Deamination = excretion of excess amino acid in the form of urea (excreted in urine)
6) Removal of old red blood cells
7) Detoxification = Breakdown of alcohol and other toxin

ASSIMILATION = process of moving food molecules into the cells to be used

Each type of cells uses food molecules for different purposes.
 Muscle cells take certain proteins to make muscle
 Bone cells take calcium and phosphate
 All cells take glucose to produce energy via respiration

EGESTION: removes undigested food

 Dietary Fibre: Includes
cellulose of cell wall & lignin in plants
 Leftover water is reabsorbed in the gut
 When rectum is full  reflex action of muscle contracts to
squeeze faeces out of anus
 Sphincter at anus prevents defaecation at an inconvenient
time

Xtra Info:
*DIGESTIVE JUICES
- contains mucus that helps protect the gut from being digested by its own enzymes
- are largely made up of water that:
o acts as a solvent
o medium for biochemical reaction of digestion
o used in the hydrolysis reactions that split up food molecules
7.5 Absorption
1. Identify the small intestine as the region for the absorption of digested food
2. Explain the significance of villi and microvilli in increasing the internal surface area of the
small intestine
a. Describe the structure of a villus
b. Describe the roles of capillaries and lacteals in villi
3. State that water is absorbed in both the small intestine and the colon, but that most
absorption of water happens in the small intestine

Digested food  absorbed in Ileum  into blood or lymph

Adaptation for Efficient Absorption

a) _______________________ – enough time for absorption to occur
b) _______________________ with villi– large surface area for absorption

Villi = thousands of finger-like projections in the ileum wall

Label the structure of a villus & epithelial cells with microvilli
 The continuous flow of blood ensures concentration gradient of nutrient molecules is maintained.
 Fat-soluble food molecules = enters ________________
Eg: _____________________________________________
 Water-soluble food molecules = enters capillaries
Eg: _____________________________________________

The _______________________then delivers them to the liver.

Liver: determines what and how much nutrients enter the
blood stream based on body’s need.

FUNCTIONS OF LIVER
1) Manufacture ________________
2) Store excess glucose as ________________ (excess glycogen is turned into fats)
3) Interconversion of glucose and glycogen to keep glucose level in blood constant
4) ________________________ = Interconversion of different amino acids
5) _____________________ = excretion of excess amino acid in the form of urea (excreted in urine)
6) Removal of haemoglobin & store iron
7) _____________________ = Breakdown of alcohol and other toxin

_____________ = process of moving food molecules into the cells to be used

Each type of cells uses food molecules for different purposes.
 Muscle cells take certain proteins to make muscle
 Bone cells take calcium and phosphate
 All cells take glucose to produce energy via respiration

EGESTION: removes undigested food

 Dietary Fibre: Includes
_________ of cell wall & lignin in plants
 Leftover water is _______________in the gut
 When rectum is full  reflex action of muscle contracts to
squeeze faeces out of
anus
 Sphincter at anus prevents defaecation at an inconvenient
time

Xtra Info:
*DIGESTIVE JUICES
- contains mucus that helps __________________________ from being digested by its own enzymes
- are largely made up of water that:
o acts as a ___________________
 o __________________________________________ of digestion
o used in the ____________________ reactions that split up food molecules

Add on: Food test

+ visking tube experiment
Describe the use of:
– iodine solution to test for starch
– Benedict’s solution to test for reducing sugars
– biuret test for proteins
– ethanol emulsion test for fats and oils
– DCPIP test for vitamin C
• Explain that different sequences of amino acids give different shapes to protein molecules
• Relate the shape and structure of protein molecules to their function, limited to the active site of
enzymes and the binding site of antibodies