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During the process of absorption, nutrients from food go from:

A. the intestines into the bladder

B. the blood into the organs

C. the intestines into the bloodstream

D. the mouth into the stomach

Answer Explanation:

c. the intestines into the bloodstream

- Correct: During the process of absorption, nutrients from food pass from the intestines into the bloodstream. After food is broken down into its constituent nutrients through digestion in the stomach and small intestine, these nutrients are absorbed across the lining of the small intestine into the bloodstream. The small intestine is highly specialized for absorption, with villi and microvilli increasing the surface area available for nutrient absorption. Once absorbed into the bloodstream, nutrients are transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body to provide energy, support growth and repair, and maintain overall health.

a. the intestines into the bladder

- Incorrect: The bladder is part of the urinary system and is responsible for storing urine produced by the kidneys. Absorption of nutrients does not involve passage into the bladder.

b. the blood into the organs

- Incorrect: While nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream are indeed transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body, absorption itself occurs in the intestines, not directly from the blood into the organs.

d. the mouth into the stomach

- Incorrect: The mouth and stomach are primarily involved in the initial stages of digestion, including mechanical breakdown of food and the initiation of chemical digestion of carbohydrates and proteins. Absorption of nutrients occurs primarily in the small intestine, not from the mouth into the stomach.

Therefore, the Correct Answer is C.

Q #1: What is the role of the small intestine’s MALT?

A. secreting mucus

B. buffering acidic chyme

C. activating pepsin

D. preventing bacteria from entering the bloodstream

Answer Explanation

b) buffering acidic chyme

- Correct: MALT (Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue) in the small intestine plays a role in buffering acidic chyme. MALT contains immune cells, such as lymphocytes and plasma cells, that help protect the intestinal mucosa from pathogens and foreign substances. Additionally, MALT helps regulate the pH of the intestinal contents by neutralizing acidic chyme, which is important for optimal enzymatic activity and absorption in the small intestine.

a) secreting mucus

- Incorrect: The secretion of mucus is primarily the role of goblet cells, which are scattered throughout the epithelium of the small intestine. Mucus serves to lubricate and protect the intestinal epithelium from mechanical damage and chemical irritation.

c) activating pepsin

- Incorrect: Pepsin is an enzyme involved in protein digestion, and its activation primarily occurs in the stomach under acidic conditions. It is produced as pepsinogen by chief cells in the gastric glands and is activated by hydrochloric acid (HCl) secreted by parietal cells.

d) preventing bacteria from entering the bloodstream

- Incorrect: While MALT helps protect the intestinal mucosa from pathogens and foreign substances, its primary role is not to prevent bacteria from entering the bloodstream. Instead, MALT functions in the local immune defense of the mucosal surface of the intestine, including the initiation of immune responses against pathogens encountered in the gastrointestinal tract.
Q #2: The alimentary canal, or digestive tract, is made up of the:

A. pancreas, liver, and gallbladder

B. esophagus, stomach, and intestines

C. colon, rectum, and anus

D. mouth, esophagus, and stomach

Answer Explanation

b. esophagus, stomach, and intestines

- Correct: The alimentary canal, or digestive tract, is made up of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines (both small and large). These organs form a continuous tube that extends from the mouth to the anus and is responsible for the digestion and absorption of food and the elimination of waste. The esophagus transports food from the mouth to the stomach through peristaltic contractions, while the stomach and intestines further digest food and absorb nutrients.

a. pancreas, liver, and gallbladder

- Incorrect: While the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder are important accessory organs that produce digestive enzymes and substances involved in digestion (such as bile), they are not part of the alimentary canal itself. Instead, they secrete their products into the alimentary canal to aid in digestion.

c. colon, rectum, and anus

- Incorrect: The colon, rectum, and anus are parts of the large intestine, which is a component of the alimentary canal. However, the alimentary canal is not solely composed of these organs; it also includes the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.

d. mouth, esophagus, and stomach

- Incorrect: While the mouth, esophagus, and stomach are indeed part of the alimentary canal, they do not represent the entirety of it. The alimentary canal includes additional organs such as the small and large intestines, which are also involved in the digestion and absorption of food.
Q #3: Where does the chemical digestion of starch begin?

A. mouth

B. esophagus

C. stomach

D. small intestine

Answer Explanation

a) mouth

- Correct: The chemical digestion of starch begins in the mouth. Salivary amylase, an enzyme secreted by the salivary glands, initiates the breakdown of starch molecules into maltose and other smaller carbohydrate molecules. This process begins as soon as food enters the mouth and continues as it is mixed with saliva during chewing and swallowing.

b) esophagus

- Incorrect: The esophagus is not directly involved in the chemical digestion of starch. It serves primarily as a conduit for the passage of food from the mouth to the stomach via peristaltic contractions.

c) stomach

- Incorrect: While some minor digestion may occur in the stomach due to the presence of salivary amylase from swallowed saliva, the stomach is not the primary site of starch digestion. Its acidic environment inhibits the activity of salivary amylase, so significant starch digestion does not occur there.

d) small intestine

- Incorrect: Starch digestion continues in the small intestine, primarily in the duodenum, but it does not begin there. Enzymes such as pancreatic amylase and brush border enzymes further break down starch into simpler sugars in the small intestine.

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