Question

Describe in detail the digestion and absorption of lipids. How are lipids transported and utilized throughout the body.

Answer 1

Digestionbof lipids starts in the mouth itself by the chewing. The lingual lipase in the mouth acta as the first enzyme that breaks down small chain fatty acids. Then in the stomach the gastric lipase produced in the stomach starts another set of break down. The gall bladder seen below the liver which stores the bile is secreted into the small intestine which aids the digestion and absorption of lipids. The pancreatic lipase produced by the pancreas is secreted to the small intestine which breaks the triglycerides into monoglycerides and fatty acids. By the action of bile acids the digested fat become minute globule like structure called micells which moves to the intestinal microvilli. The micells gets absorbed again gets reassembled to form triglycerides and gets associated with the chylomicrons known as the lipid transport particles which is taken through the lymph. Thus the absorption of lips is done. The transport of lipids is done by the lipoproteins. They are responsible for the distribution of lipids in the body. VLDL formed in the liver is responsible for the transport of the of triglycerides to the body. HFL removes the fat and cholesterol from the body cells and taken to the liver for excretion and reutilisation. LDL is the lipoproteins that carry the fats to the small vessels. The excess fat formed in the body is stored in the adipose tissue.