6.

5 Absorption and Assimilation of Digested Food

The Process of Absorption

1. The digested food is absorbed in the small intestine, esp. the ___________.
All the _______________ products such as _______________, _________ sugars (glucose,
fructose, galactose) and water soluble ___________ (B and C) pass through the wall of villi
into the ______________________ to be taken to other parts of the body.
- Initially, absorption involves ______________. Subsequently, the transport of the remaining
nutrients across the epithelial layer involve ___________________ in which _________ is
used to transport substances _________ their concentration _____________.
2. All ________________ products of digestion (fatty acids and __________) and fat soluble
_____________ (A,D,E,K) pass through the _______ of the villi into the _____________,
and then are transported away by the larger _________ vessels through the lymphatic
_________ before being sent back to the ______.
3. ________ and ___________ mineral salts are absorbed by the _________.
4. ______________ and _________________ matter is stored ____________ in the
___________ before being discharged as ____________ through the _______ in a process
called _______________ or _________________.

Adaptation of Ileum for Absorption of Digested Food

1. Having large __________ _______ for absorption.
- small intestine is very long, about _______ (longest section of alimentary canal) and it is
greatly _________ ___________________ to fit in the abdominal cavity.
- the intestinal ____________ is also greatly __________.
- the intestinal lining is also covered entirely with numerous, tiny ________-like projections
called _______ ( _____________ - singular) projecting into the intestinal ___________ (lumen).
- the __________________ layer of each villus, in turn, has numerous __________ - each
about _________ long .
- the total area exposed to the lumen of the small intestine has been estimated to be about
_______________.
- each villus is only about __________ long and less than ____________ thick.
2. The ______________ lining of the villus is only _____ cell thick.
- this is to reduce ______________ enable easy and quick ____________ of digested food
products from the lumen into the ______________________ and ____________.
3. Each villus has a network of blood ___________________.
- they serve to absorb ________________ products of digestion (for e.g. _________ and
________________) and water soluble ____________ (for e.g. ___ and __).

4. Each villus also has a ___________ (________________ capillary).

- they serve to absorb __________________ products of digestion (for e.g. _____ acids and
______________) and fat soluble ____________ (for e.g. __, __, __ and __).