Digestion Flashcards
Define digestion
The hydrolysis of large, insoluble molecules into smaller molecules that can be absorbed across cell membranes
Which enzymes are involved in carbohydrate digestion and where are they found?
- Amylase, mouth
- Maltase, small intestine membrane
- Sucrase, small intestine membrane
- Lactase, small intestine membrane
What are the substrates and products of the carbohydrate digestive enzymes?
Amylase -> starch into smaller polysaccharides
Maltase -> Maltose into 2 glucoses
Sucrase -> sucrose into glucose and fructose
Lactase -> lactose into glucose and galactose
Where are lipids digested?
The small intestine
What needs to happen before lipids can be digested?
They must be emulsified by bile salts produced by the liver. This breaks down large fat molecules into smaller, soluble molecules called micelles, increasing the surface area
How are lipids digested?
Lipase hydrolyses the ester bond between the monoglycerides and fatty acids
Which enzymes are involved in protein digestion and what are their roles?
- Endopeptidases = break bonds between specific amino acids in the middle of a polypeptide
- Exopeptidases = breaks bonds between specific amino acids at the end of a polypeptide
- Dipeptidases = break dipeptides into amino acids
How are certain molecules absorbed into the ileum despite a negative concentration gradient?
Through co-transport
Which molecules require co-transport
Amino acids and monosaccharides
Explain how sodium ions are involved in co-transport
Na+ are actively transported out of the cell into the lumen, creating a diffusion gradient. Nutrients are then taken up into the cells along with Na+ ions
Why do fatty acids and monoglycerides not require co-transport?
The molecules are non polar, meaning they can easily diffuse across the membrane of the epithelial cells
