Outline the usual pathway for digestion and absorption of triglycerides (fats)

Answer 1

Fats are not soluble in water and so need special handling. The liver produces bile for fat digestion. Bile causes fat molecules to break up into tiny droplets called micelles. Pancreatic lipase attaches to these micelles and hydrolyses the triglycerides, freeing fatty acids, monoglycerides, and glycerol. The glycerol enters the columnar epithelial cells by facilitated diffusion and the fatty acids enter by simple diffusion because of their lipid nature. Within the epithelial cell glycerol or monoglycerides are reconnected to fatty acids. These fat molecules form tiny droplets within the Golgi and pass into the lamina propria. Here they enter lacteals, which are lymphatics, eventually being carried to the venous circulation at the thoracic duct.