Digestion and Absorption of Carbohydrates

Question 1

What is digestion?

Answer 1

The hydrolysis of large biological molecules into smaller molecules that can be absorbed across cell membranes into the blood stream

Question 2

What do mammals digest?

Answer 2

Mammals digest carbohydrates, proteins and lipids

Question 3

What two enzymes hydrolyse carbohydrates?

Answer 3

Amylase and membrane bound disaccharides hydrolyse carbohydrates

Question 4

Where is amylase produced in?

Answer 4

Amylase is produced by the pancreas and salivary glands

Question 5

How is amylase used in the digestion of carbohydrates?

Answer 5

Amylase is used to hydrolyse the polysaccharide into the disaccharide (maltose) through the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds

Question 6

How does the amylase enzyme hydrolyse the polysaccharide?

Answer 6

The polysaccharide is hydrolysed into the disaccharide maltose through the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds

Question 7

Where does the food go after amylase has hydrolysed it?

Answer 7

The food is then swallowed into the stomach, flowing into the small intestine (duodenum) and then the ileum

Question 8

Where are the membrane - bound disaccharides found?

Answer 8

The membrane - bound enzymes are found in the duodenum and ileum

Question 9

What do membrane - bound disaccharides do in the digestion of carbohydrates?

Answer 9

Membrane - bound disaccharides hydrolyse disaccharides into monosaccharides

Question 10

Give an example of membrane - bound disaccharides that hydrolyse disaccharides into monosaccharides?

Answer 10

Sucrase and lactase are membrane - bound disaccharides. Lactase hydrolyses lactose and sucrase hydrolyses sucrose into monosaccharides

Question 11

How are carbohydrates digested?

Answer 11

1. Salivary glands secrete amylase into the mouth
2. Carbohydrate is broken down into disaccharides and swallowed into the stomach
3. Passes through the small intestine through to the duodenum where the membrane - bound disaccharides further hydrolyse the disaccharides
4. The disaccharides are then further broken down into monosaccharides in the ileum if not broken in the duodenum

Question 12

What happens after amylase is produced in the salivary glands?

Answer 12

After amylase is produced in the salivary glands, it is then secreted into the mouth, where the digestion of carbs begin

Question 13

How are monosaccharides absorbed?

Answer 13

The method of absorptions for monosaccharides is diffusion and/or co transport