Digestion

TYPES OF DIGESTION
1. Physical Digestion: Breakdown of large food pieces to small food pieces without
causing any chemical change to the food molecules. This process is mostly occurs
in the mouth. The mucus helps the chewed food to bind together to form a small
ball (bolus) and lubricates it so that it slides easily down the esophagus. Example:
Bile emulsifying fats.

2. Chemical Digestion: Breakdown of large food molecules to small molecules.

Example: Lipase breaking down fat molecules to glycerol and fatty acids.
 TEETH
Teeth helps with the intake of food and the physical digestion of the food. Teeth increase the surface area of the food
pieces, which increases the rate of reaction.

LAYERS OF A TOOTH
 Enamel: Enamel acts as a protective barrier against harmful bacteria and acids that can
attack the teeth and cause dental problems.

 Dentine: Dentine provides support to the enamel.

 Pulp: The main function is to create dentine and provide your tooth with nutrition and also
alerts the tooth.

 Gum: protect your teeth and prevent diseases from developing in your mouth.

 Cement: Attach the tooth to the bone.

TYPES OF TEETH
 Chemical Digestion

Chemical Digestion starts in mouth where amylase breaks down starch to maltose.
Enzymes and Hydrolysis
 Enzymes
Enzymes Where it is secreted Where it acts

Amylase By the salivary glands In the mouth

By the pancreas In the duodenum

Protease By the walls of the stomach In the stomach

(Pepsin)
By the pancreas (trypsin) In the duodenum

lipase By the pancreas In the duodenum

Maltase By the epithelium On the epithelial cells

 Villi and epithelial cells
Villi are small, finger-like projections that line the inner surface of the small intestine. They increase the surface
area of the small intestine, allowing for more efficient absorption of nutrients.

Epithelial cells, on the other hand, are cells that line the surfaces of organs and tissues in the body.

These microvilli contain brush border

enzymes that break down larger sugar and
protein molecules
 Enterocyte
Enterocytes are a type of epithelial cell and play a vital role in the absorption of nutrients.

Once the macromolecules have been broken down into their smallest components, they
can be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine, and then transported to the liver
for further processing. The absorption process occurs through the cell membrane of the
enterocytes, the epithelial cells lining the small intestine, by facilitated diffusion or active
transport. For example, glucose, amino acids and fatty acids are transported across the cell
membrane by specific transporters, such as GLUT2 and FATP, where they can be utilized
by the cells for energy or stored for later use.
 Maltase and Maltose
Maltase is produced by the enterocytes, which are specialized epithelial cells that line the
small intestine. Maltase is located on the brush border of the enterocytes, which is the
region of the cell membrane that faces the lumen of the small intestine.
When maltose reaches the small intestine, it is transported across the brush border of the
enterocytes by a specific transport protein. Once maltose is inside the cell, it binds to
maltase and is broken down into glucose.
 Bile
It’s an example of physical digestion. Bile is made in liver and stored in the gall bladder. It contains bile salts
which emulsifies (breaks down) fats to smaller droplets. Bile doesn’t act in the stomach.

The gastric juice cannot enter the duodenum and the small intestine as the HCL present
will damage the cells.
Pancreatic juices and bile is sent the duodenum which contain alkaline substances which
neutralizes the reaction.
Since pepsin cannot work in those conditions, another type of protein is produced by the
pancreas named trypsin which works in the duodenum.
 Bile Reflux

Bile reflux occurs when the sphincter muscles that keep bile from backwashing into your
stomach and oesophagus aren’t working properly. When bile juices enter the stomach, they
will change the pH of the stomach because bile is detergent and has alkaline substances, and
the stomach has an acidic pH. The bile can also cause serious damage to the esophagus if the
bile juices enter the esophagus.

Symptoms:
 Inflammation
 Ulcer
 Bacteria in Digestion
There are around 100 trillion bacteria present in our gut. The most common and
crucial bacteria is the lactobacillus species which are present in our small
intestine. Lactobacillus digests the undigested carbohydrates and anaerobically
respire. When lactobacillus anaerobically respire it produces lactic acid is useful
in the gut as it maintains the acidity which kills the harmful bacteria and also
prevents from yeast growth with leads to yeast infections and damages our
digestive system.