In: Anatomy and Physiology
How does sugar enter “the body” via the intestinal epithelia? What carriers and pumps are involved in the passage? [Kidney proximal tube epi works the same.]
Sugar or carbohydrates when taken via food are generally polysaccharide. The enzymes present in the gastrointestinal tract breaks polysaccharide into monosaacharides mainly - Glucose, galactose and fructose. These monosaacharides gets absorbed in small intestine as it has brush border epithelium.
A) Absorbtion of glucose and galatose - These two monosaacharides gets absorbed in intestine with the help of secondary active transport. That is SGluT ( sodium dependent glucose transporter) . Sodium moves into the intestinal cells and along with it glucose also moves inside with same carrier system. After entering the intestinal cell sodium is released in blood via sodium potassium ATPase and glucose is transported into blood by GluT2 carrier (Glucose transporter). Galactose also gets transported by same mechanism.
Pump and carrier involved - SGluT and GluT2
B) Transport of fructose - Fructose gets absorbed by simple diffusion with the help of GluT carrier.