7.

5 Absorption
1. Identify the small intestine as the region for the absorption of digested
food
2. Explain the significance of villi and microvilli in increasing the internal
surface area of the small intestine
a. Describe the structure of a villus
b. Describe the roles of capillaries and lacteals in villi
3. State that water is absorbed in both the small intestine and the colon, but
that most absorption of water happens in the small intestine
Digested food absorbed in Ileum into blood or lymph
Adaptation for Efficient Absorption
a) very long enough time for absorption to occur
b) highly folded with villi large surface area for absorption
Villi = thousands of finger-like projections in the ileum wall
Label the structure of a villus & epithelial cells with microvilli

The continuous flow of blood ensures concentration gradient of nutrient molecules is

maintained.
Fat-soluble food molecules = enters lacteal
Eg: fatty acid, glycerol, Vitamin A, D, E & K
Water-soluble food molecules = enters
capillaries
Eg: glucose, amino acid, minerals, Vitamin C & B
The hepatic portal vein then delivers them to the
liver.
Liver: determines what and how much nutrients
enter the blood stream based on bodys need.
FUNCTIONS OF LIVER
1) Manufacture bile
2) Store excess glucose as glycogen (excess glycogen is turned into fats)
3) Interconversion of glucose and glycogen to keep glucose level in blood constant
4) Transamination = Interconversion of different amino acids
5) Deamination = excretion of excess amino acid in the form of urea (excreted in
urine)
6) Removal of old red blood cells
7) Detoxification = Breakdown of alcohol and other toxin
ASSIMILATION = process of moving food molecules into the
cells to be used
Each type of cells uses food molecules for different purposes.
Muscle cells take certain proteins to make muscle
Bone cells take calcium and phosphate
All cells take glucose to produce energy via respiration
EGESTION: removes
undigested food
Dietary Fibre: Includes cellulose of cell wall &
lignin in plants
Leftover water is reabsorbed in the gut
When rectum is full reflex action of muscle
contracts to squeeze faeces out of anus
Sphincter at anus prevents defaecation at an
inconvenient time

Xtra Info:
*DIGESTIVE JUICES

contains mucus that helps protect the gut from being digested by its own
enzymes
are largely made up of water that:
o acts as a solvent
o medium for biochemical reaction of digestion
o used in the hydrolysis reactions that split up food molecules

7.5 Absorption
1. Identify the small intestine as the region for the absorption of digested
food
2. Explain the significance of villi and microvilli in increasing the internal
surface area of the small intestine
a. Describe the structure of a villus
b. Describe the roles of capillaries and lacteals in villi
3. State that water is absorbed in both the small intestine and the colon, but
that most absorption of water happens in the small intestine
Digested food absorbed in Ileum into blood or lymph
Adaptation for Efficient Absorption
a) _______________________ enough time for absorption to occur
b) _______________________ with villi large surface area for absorption
Villi = thousands of finger-like projections in the ileum wall
Label the structure of a villus & epithelial cells with microvilli

The continuous flow of blood ensures concentration gradient of nutrient molecules is

maintained.
Fat-soluble food molecules = enters
________________
Eg: _____________________________________________
Water-soluble food molecules = enters
capillaries
Eg: _____________________________________________
The _______________________then delivers them to
the liver.
Liver: determines what and how much nutrients
enter the blood stream based on bodys need.
FUNCTIONS OF LIVER
1) Manufacture ________________
2) Store excess glucose as ________________ (excess glycogen is turned into fats)

3) Interconversion of glucose and glycogen to keep glucose level in blood

constant
4) ________________________ = Interconversion of different amino acids
5) _____________________ = excretion of excess amino acid in the form of urea
(excreted in urine)
6) Removal of haemoglobin & store iron
7) _____________________ = Breakdown of alcohol and other
toxin
_____________ = process of moving food molecules into the
cells to be used
Each type of cells uses food molecules for different purposes.
Muscle cells take certain proteins to make muscle
Bone cells take calcium and phosphate
All cells take glucose to produce energy via respiration
EGESTION: removes undigested food
Dietary Fibre: Includes _________ of cell wall &
lignin in plants
Leftover water is _______________in the gut
When rectum is full reflex action of muscle
contracts to
squeeze
faeces out of anus
Sphincter at anus prevents defaecation at an
inconvenient time

Xtra Info:
*DIGESTIVE JUICES
- contains mucus that helps __________________________ from being digested by its
own enzymes
- are largely made up of water that:
o acts as a ___________________
o __________________________________________ of digestion
o used in the ____________________ reactions that split up food molecules

Add on: Food test

+ visking tube experiment
Describe the use of:
iodine solution to test for starch
Benedicts solution to test for reducing sugars

 biuret test for proteins

ethanol emulsion test for fats and oils
DCPIP test for vitamin C
Explain that different sequences of amino acids give different shapes to protein
molecules
Relate the shape and structure of protein molecules to their function, limited to the
active site of enzymes and the binding site of antibodies