8.3 Protein Digestion and Absorption

Question 1

There are only _ places in the digestive tract where protein is digested

Answer 1

2

Question 2

What is the general path for protein digestion?

Answer 2

Mouth: No chemical digestion of protein, only mechanical

Stomach: HCL denatures proteins, pepsin chemically digests protein (snips polypeptide into smaller chains of amino acids)

Pancreas: Secretes pancreatic proteases, including chymotrypsin and trypsin

Small intestine: Majority of protein digestion; pancreatic proteases chemically digest protein

Large intestine: minimal protein digestion

Question 3

We can only absorb what kind of amino acids?

Answer 3

Single, double, or triple amino acid chains

Question 4

Where does the majority of protein absorption take place?

Answer 4

Small intestine

Question 5

Which type of transport is used to absorb amino acids and dipeptides into the centre of the villus?

Answer 5

Active transport (using ATP)

Question 6

Where are amino acids sent to after entering the blood stream?

Answer 6

The liver