Question

Fats are absorbed by the epithelial cells of villi in the intestinal tract and enter the capillary beds of the circulatory system.

True or false?

Answer 1

False. Fats are not absorbed by the epithelial cells of cilli in the intestinal tract and do not enter the capilllary beds of the circulatory system.

In the small intestine, the middle of each villus is both a capillary bed for absorption of water-soluble nutrients & a "lacteal" = lymphatic channel that takes up fats for transport into the lymphatic system.

While the water soluble compounds (monosaccharides, Amino acids, water-soluble vitamins (B&C), small fatty acids, water) enter the "capillary bed" blood from epithelial cells and then go to the liver ( via the hepatic portal circulation), the fat soluble compounds (fats, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins(A,D,E,K)) enter the "lacteal" (small vessels that form the beginning the lymphatic system) and go on to enter the "thoracic duct". The thoracic duct thereafter empties the contents into the left subclavian vein.

The statement is therefore false.