digestion and absorption of nutrients (lecture series) Flashcards
What are proteins broken down (digested) into ?
- amino acids
- dipeptides
- tripeptides
What are carbohydrates (polysaccharides) broken down (digested) into ?
monosaccharides
Where are the enzymes found that digest proteins?
- stomach
- pancrease
- brush border
Where are the enzymes found that digest carbohydrates?
- saliva
- pancreas
- brush border
Where are the enzymes found that digest fats?
- stomach
- pancreas
- bile salts
What are fats (triglycerides) broken down (digested) into ?
- free fatty acids
- glycerol (monoglycerides)
What is another name for carbohydrates ?
polysaccharides / disaccharides
What is/causes malabsorption ?
incomplete digestion of large molecules into smaller ones (e.g proteins into amino acids)
How does malabsorption cause diarrhoea ?
- incomplete digestion
- large molecules continue to move through GI tract
-
large molecules draw water with them
= stool is loose
What are the main methods of absorption ?
- simple diffusion
- carrier mediated (facilitated diffusion, secondary active transport)
- receptor-mediated endocytosis (vit B12, intrinsic factor, cholesterol)
Where does the majority of absorption take place ?
duodenum
jejunum
Which substances are absorbed in the terminal ileum ?
- vitamin B12
- bile salts
- potassium
Which substances are absorbed in the colon ?
- sodium
- some water
- short chain fatty acids
Which sites in the GI tract are only involved in very limited absorption of nutrients ?
- mouth
- oesophagus
- stomach
- rectum
What is the benefit of delivering drugs via mouth or rectum?
the blood supply from these areas go to the heart whereas the blood from the intestines go via the liver
What are the 2 main features of the small intestine that make it the major site of absorption ?
- surface area (200m^2 total area)
- polarised expression of transport proteins used in absorption
What features of the small intestine create such a large surface area?
- Plicae circularis/folds of kerckring= circular folds in the wall
- villi
- microvilli = “brush border”
What does “polarised expression of transport proteins” mean ?
there are different ion transports on each side of the cell meaning that a gradient can be formed
What is another name for co-transport ?
secondary active transport
What drives co-transport/secondary active transport ?
usually, an Na gradient created by the sodium-potassium pump on the opposite membrane
What physical problems can cause malabsorption ?
- indigestion (lack of enzymes)
- decreased surface area
- lack of transporters
What is the co-transport protein for glucose called ?
SGLT1 protein
What is the protein transporter for fructose called that’s in the apical intestinal membrane ?
GLUT5
What is the protein transporter for fructose called that’s in the basement intestinal membrane ?
GLUT2
What is glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome ?
- genetic disease
- SGLT1 mutation (glucose co-transporter protein on apical membrane)
= cannot absorb glucose or galactose in the intestines
How does glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome manifest/present in infants?
Severe/potentially fatal diarrhoea
= child becomes malnourished and quickly dehydrated
What is the treatment for glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome ?
- avoid glucose and galactose in diet
- provide child with nutrients via other methods
How many dietary amino acids are there ?
20
What % of amino acids are absorbed as tri/dipeptides ?
50%
Which transporter is used in the absorption of tri/dipeptides in the intestines ?
PepT1
What happens to tri/dipeptides once they’re absorbed into the cell from the intestine ?
hydrolysed into amino acids, so leave into blood as amino acids
What method of transport does the PepT1 transporter use ?
co transport / secondary active transport
(uses a H gradient rather than Na)
What would cause amino acids in the urine ?
rare genetic diseases that affect protein transporters, resulting in malabsorption
Which enzyme mainly influences lipid digestion ?
Pancreatic lipase
some gastric lipase has a minor role
What substance is the digestion of lipids dependant on ?
bile salts
Are bile salts acids or alkali ?
Acids
What are the roles of bile salts in lipid digestion ?
- emulsify large fat droplets = increases SA for action of lipase
- transport via formation of mixed micelles = stabilises products of triglyceride hydrolysis
What do micelles contain ?
- bile salts
- monoglycerides
- fatty acids
- phospholipids
- cholesterol
What is the condition caused primarily by an absence/deficiency of bile salts ?
Steatorrhea (a fatty type of diarrhoea)
Currently, what are the proposed methods of lipid transport across membranes ?
simple diffusion
phospholipids in micelles bind to the phospholipid membrane and release contents into the cell
Free fatty acid transporters
FAT and CD36
Monoglyceride transporters
evidence for carrier-mediated mechanisms (no details)
What is the average dissociation constant (pKa) of free fatty acids ?
~ 4.9
means: at pH 4.9, 50% of fatty acids will be undissociated and susceptible to simple diffusion
Describe how lipids are turned into chylomicrons …
- bile salts emulsify + form micelles
- micelles diffuse into cells
- triglycerides reform within cell
- packaged into chylomicrons in endoplasmic reticulum