Digestive Enzymes, Nutrient Absorption, and Assay Techniques in Human Physiology
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47 Terms
What enzyme breaks down carbohydrates?
Amylase (and maltase later)
What are the final products of carbohydrate digestion?
Monosaccharides, mainly glucose
What enzyme breaks down lipids?
Lipase
What are the end products of lipid digestion?
Glycerol and fatty acids
What happens to glycerol after digestion?
It's converted into glucose for glycolysis
What happens to fatty acids after digestion?
They enter fatty acid oxidation, producing acetyl CoA
What enzyme digests proteins?
Pepsin
What are the final products of protein digestion?
Peptides and amino acids
What environment does pepsin work best in?
Acidic (presence of HCl)
What is the function of the oral cavity?
Chewing (mastication); salivary amylase starts starch digestion; forms the bolus
What is the bolus?
A ball of chewed food formed in the mouth
What structure prevents food from entering the trachea?
The epiglottis
What happens in the stomach?
HCl and pepsin digest proteins; bolus becomes chyme
What is chyme?
A mixture of bolus and gastric juice in the stomach
What is the function of the liver?
Produces bile for fat emulsification
What is the function of the gallbladder?
Stores and releases bile
What is the function of the pancreas?
Produces digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase)
Where does most nutrient absorption occur?
Small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum)
What is the main function of the large intestine?
Absorbs water and forms feces
What are the two main types of intestinal contractions?
Peristalsis and segmentation
Which muscles perform peristalsis?
Longitudinal muscles
Which muscles perform segmentation?
Circular muscles
What reagent is used in the lipid digestion assay?
Phenol red
What color change indicates lipid digestion?
Red → yellow (more acidic)
Why does the solution turn yellow during lipid digestion?
Fatty acids are released, lowering pH
What reagent emulsifies fats?
Bile salt
What is the role of lipase in this assay?
Breaks down triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerol
What reagent tests for protein digestion?
Biuret reagent
What color indicates proteins are still present?
Purple
What color indicates partial protein digestion (short peptides)?
Pink or violet
What color indicates full digestion (no proteins)?
Clear or light blue
What enzyme is used in the protein digestion assay?
Pepsin
What substrate is used in the protein digestion assay?
Albumin
What condition allows pepsin to work best?
Acidic (presence of HCl)
What happens if NaHCO₃ is added instead of HCl?
The solution becomes neutral/basic, and pepsin becomes inactive
What reagent detects reducing sugars?
Benedict's reagent
What type of sugars does Benedict's reagent detect?
Reducing sugars (like maltose)
At what wavelength is %T measured?
740 nm
What does a higher %T indicate in the assay?
More reducing sugar (more digestion)
What is the purpose of creating a standard curve?
To determine the concentration of maltose in samples
1 mL equals how many µL?
1000 µL
What pipette should you use for 123 µL?
Micropipette
What pipette should you use for 2.2 mL?
Serological pipette
For an odd student number, what volumes are used?
123 µL (small), 2.2 mL (large)
For an even student number, what volumes are used?
446 µL (small), 1.7 mL (large)
What is the main quantitative measurement in the carbohydrate assay?
% Transmittance at 740 nm
What does the standard curve help determine?
Maltose concentration in the sample