Absorption process

• The end products of digestion (glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and glycerol) and vitamins, mineral salts, water are absorbed by the villi in the small intestine
• Glucose, the end product of carbohydrate digestion, is actively absorbed, against the concentration gradient, into the blood capillaries of the villi
• Amino acids, the end products of protein digestion, are also actively absorbed, against the concentration gradient, into the blood capillaries
• Glycerol and fatty acids, the end products of lipid digestion, are absorbed by diffusion into the lacteals aided by bile salts
• Vitamins- fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) are passively absorbed into the blood capillaries, while water soluble vitamins (B, C) are passively absorbed or aided by carrier molecules
• Mineral salts are both actively and passively absorbed into the capillaries
• Water is absorbed into the capillaries by osmosis