BIOB34H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Brush Border, Lactase, Weaning
Document Summary
* monosaccharides- simple sugars do not need to be digested simple enough to be absorbed by gut wall. * disaccharides compound sugars 2 monosaccharides do need to be digested too complex, bond need to be broken. Each disaccharide is digested by specific enzyme called disaccharidase eg. lactase breaks down lactose, maltase breaks down maltose ect. Brush border of small intestine epithelial cells - site of production of disaccharides (enzymes) Epithelial cells make up the inner lining of small intestine have direct contact with the food particles. The microvilli on the epithelial cells maximize surface area and absorption: within the microvilli is where the brush border is. * monosaccharides hydrophilic compounds they cannot simply absorbed in a passive way they need transporters (proteins) this means you can only absorb them in the gut where those transporters are present (usually midgut) And sglt couples the na with glucose: active process - requires atp.
