Digestion And Absorption Flashcards
What is lactose intolerance?
Failure in ability to digest dairy carbs
Brush border lactase enzyme activity is deficient or absent resulting in undigested and unabsorbed lactose
Lactose in the SI is converted to SCFAs and H gas causing it to remain in the lumen holding H2O and leading to osmotic diarrhea
Ferments into methane and H gas
Describe carb digestion in the mouth
Begins breakdown of some starch
Contains salivary amylase which breaks starch down into maltose and 3-9 polymers of glucose
Describe carb digestion in the SI
Most starch breakdown occurs here
Pancreatic amylase is present which continues to breakdown starch
Many disaccharides reach SI intact
Describe the structure of intestinal mucosa
Ideal for absorption of large amounts of nutrients
Lumen surface of SI arranged in longitudinal folds (folds of Kerckring)
Villi and microvilli increase SA for absorption
Diseases that disrupt the mucosa will influence absorption of nutrients
Describe absorption of carbs
Co-transport mechanisms and facilitated diffusion
On the luminal side Na/K ATPase creates concentration gradient
Secondary active transport of glucose and galactose occurs through SLGT1
Facilitated diffusion of fructose through GLUT5
GLUT2 then is used for transport of all sugars into blood
What is one way to test for a CHO assimilation disorder?
After an overnight fast 25g D-xylose ingested and urine collected for next 5 hours
Key is that it will be absorbed not utilized
Absorbed by both active Na cotransport and by passive diffusion (at dose used will generally be able to absorb via passive diffusion)
Measures absorptive capacity of proximal SI specific to sugars
What are other tests that are used for CHO assimilation disorders?
Breath tests such as methane, isotopically labeled 13-CO2 from different sugars, lactose/sucrose breath test
What diseases are caused by a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes or defect in transporters of intestinal epithelial cells that lead to protein assimilation disorders?
Chronic pancreatitis, congenital trypsin absence, Cystinuria, hartnup disease, cystic fibrosis
What is chronic pancreatitis?
Deficiency of pancreatic enzymes
Lack of proteases (i.e. trypsinogen)
Inability to neutralize stomach acid
What is congenital trypsin absence?
Absence of trypsin
All pancreatic enzymes are gone
Cannot activate proteases
What is cystinuria?
Defect in transport or absence of di-basic amino acid transporter thus cysteine, arginine, lysine and ornithine are not reabsorbed at the proximal tubule
Due to intestinal deficiency - amino acids secreted in feces/urine
What is Hartnup disease?
Cannot absorb neutral amino acids
Sx resemble pellagra (niacin deficiency)
Autosomal recessive genetic disorder, Na dependent neutral amino acid transporter
Sx: diarrhea, mood changes, neuro problems (e.g. uncoordinated movements, abnormal muscle tone), red scaly skin rash, photosensitivity, short stature, urine sample displays high excretion of neutral amino acids (tryptophan) and by-products (serotonin)
What is cystic fibrosis?
CFTR regulated Cl channel on apical membrane of duct cells
Pancreas problems persist and present early
Some CFTR mutations associated with loss of HCO3 secretion
-cannot move enzymes from ducts
-can lead to acute and chronic pancreatitis
Cannot neutralize stomach acid
Describe protein digestion in the stomach
Pepsin secreted as pepsinogen and activated at low pH in the stomach (2-3)
Not essential for protein digestion (10-20%)
Describe the pancreas’s contribution to protein digestion
Enzymes: trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidase, elastase
Mostly breaks proteins down into di and tripeptides, some amino acids
Trypsin and chymotrypsin -> small polypeptides
Carboxypeptidase -> cleaves aa at carbonyl ends
Describe protein digestion in the SI
Brush border enzymes: aminopolypeptidase and dipeptidases (some others)
Amino acids, di and trip peptides are absorbed into enterocytes
Pancreatic enzymes are secreted as what?
Zymogens and activated by either enterokinase (trypsinogen) or trypsin itself
Describe protein absorption in the SI
Na/K ATPase establishes Na gradient (blood side)
Separate cotransporters for each amino acid type (Na amino acid cotransporters on luminal side)
Separate facilitated diffusion mechanisms for each aa type on blood side
Diffusion of di and tri peptides into circulation
What is celiac sprue?
Autoimmune disorder with hereditary component
Abs develop against gluten components which leads to destruction of SI villi (atrophy) and hyperplasia of intestinal crypts
Malabsorption deficiencies in folate, iron, Ca and vitamins A, B12 and D