Problem 7 - Biology: The Dynamic Science

Question

If the fat in whole milk is ingested: a. the stomach, with its high pH, will stimulate cells of the duodenum to hasten stomach emptying. b. parietal cells in the stomach will absorb it. c. in the small intestine, bile salts emulsify the fats and then lipase hydrolyzes them. d. lactase deficiency in the small intestine would prevent its digestion. e. microvilli will absorb the fat in the form of chylomicrons directly into the blood of the hepatic portal vein.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The correct answer is option (c). In the small intestine, bile salts emulsify the fats and then lipase hydrolyzes them.

Step 1: Reviewing options

Review each option individually, and understand what each one represents in the digestion process.

Step 2: Analyzing option (a)

Option (a) suggests that the high Ph of the stomach will stimulate cells of the duodenum thus accelerating stomach emptying. The stomach has a low pH, which isn't directly responsible for accelerating the emptying, so this option is not correct.

Step 3: Analyzing option (b)

Option (b) proposes that parietal cells in the stomach will absorb the fats. Parietal cells produce gastric acid, not absorb fats. So option (b) is not correct.

Step 4: Analyzing option (c)

Option (c) states that bile salts in the small intestine emulsify the fats and then lipase hydrolyzes them. This is true, bile salts do emulsify fats which makes them easier to be digested by lipase. So, option (c) is correct.

Step 5: Analyzing option (d)

Option (d) suggests that lactase deficiency in the small intestine would prevent the digestion of the fat. Lactase is an enzyme that digests lactose (a type of sugar), not fat, so this option is not correct.

Step 6: Analyzing option (e)

Option (e) suggests that microvilli will absorb the fat in the form of chylomicrons directly into the blood of the hepatic portal vein. Microvilli do absorb digested nutrients like chylomicrons, but they get absorbed into the lacteals, part of the lymphatic system, not the hepatic portal vein. So option (e) is incorrect.