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Essentially absorption begins as soon as the food enters the mouth, through the use of amylase which is present in the saliva. However, the main function of the mouth and stomach is both mechanical and chemical digestion, and so the major site of nutrient absorption is in the small intestine.

The small intestine is highly adapted to maximize the nutrients in the blood stream; it has a massive surface area which is increased by two factors:

1. the presence of villi, which are small finger-like projections into the lumen of the small intestine, and

2. the presence of microvilli, which looks like a brush boarder along the cells of the small intestine.

The duodenum actually doesn't contribute that much to digestion, but rather digestion, through the secretions coming from the pancreas and bile duct through the major and minor duodenal papillae.

Finally, nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream through the portal circulation, formed by the union of the splenic and greater mesenteric veins.

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Why is the small intestines the main part of the digestive system?

The small intestines are important in the digestive system. There are small finger like structures in the Small intestines called villi, these villi extract the nutrients and take it into the blood stream. Without the small intestines you would not be able to extract nutrients from the food.


How does a spider's digestive system function to break down and absorb nutrients from its prey?

A spider's digestive system works by first injecting digestive enzymes into its prey to break down the tissues. The spider then sucks up the liquefied nutrients through its mouthparts and into its gut for absorption. The nutrients are then distributed throughout the spider's body for energy and growth.


Do the arteries carry blood rich in food and oxygen?

Yes. Oxygen directly, the veins get the food first but it must pass through the lungs and the heart to get to the arteries (and thence to the cells).


What is the first organ to form in an embryo?

The first organ to form in an embryo is the heart. It starts to develop early in gestation and is essential for pumping blood and circulating nutrients throughout the body as the embryo grows.


How does the epidermis receive its blood supply?

The epidermis itself does not receive direct blood supply since it is avascular (without blood vessels). Instead, the underlying dermis provides the necessary nutrients and oxygen to the epidermal cells through diffusion. Nutrients and oxygen diffuse from the capillaries in the dermis to reach the epidermis.

Related Questions

What is the first organ to receive nutrients after absorption?

The liver is the first organ to receive nutrients that are absorbed from the GI tract. It is the 'gatekeeper' and is responsible for filtering out possible toxins before they reach delicate tissues such as the brain. The hepatic vein takes blood from the liver to the heart.


What does the small intestine do in the human body?

The digestion and the absorption of nutrients. You can live without a large intenstine, but not without a small intestine! The small intestine is responsible for most of your food digestion and all of your food absorption. The duodenum is the first section and is about a foot long. It digests all types of food (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) with the help of pancreatic juices. The duodenum, along with the jejunem and the ileum, absorb the nutrients from the digested food and transfer them into the blood stream. You can live without your stomach, but you cannot live without your small intestines.


What is primary absorption?

If your asking about primary absorption in digestion and the absorption of nutrients into the body, then primary absorption is the first (primary) place in the body where nutrients are absorbed. In humans this takes place in the small intestines after the food has been broken down in the stomach and passed on to the small intestine.


What is the first organ to receive nutrients?

The liver receives the bulk of the water soluble nutrients.Little absorption occurs in the oral cavity, esophagus, and stomach. The small and large intestines are where most absorption takes place. The blood flows from the intestines back to the liver via the portal vein.


Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream through small finger-like nodules on the wall of the?

intestine called villi. Villi increase the surface area for absorption of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and other essential compounds. From the villi, nutrients pass into tiny blood vessels called capillaries and then enter the bloodstream, where they are transported throughout the body to support various functions.


What are two functions of the digestive system?

The first of the two functions of the digestive system is to break down nutrients. The second function is the absorption of nutrients.


What is the function of the human body intestines?

The small intestine is responsible for most of your food digestion and all of your food absorption. The duodenum is the first section and is about a foot long. It digests all types of food (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) with the help of pancreatic juices. The duodenum, along with the jejunem and the ileum, absorb the nutrients from the digested food and transfer them into the blood stream. You can live without your stomach, but you cannot live without your small intestines.


The top portion of the intestine?

The top portion of the intestine is called the duodenum. It is the first part of the small intestine where much of the digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place. It receives partially digested food from the stomach and plays a key role in breaking down nutrients for absorption into the body.


Before entering the heart blood from the intestines must first pass through the?

The de oxygenated blood from the intestine is rich in nutrients as the small intestine is the organ that involves in absorption of the digested substances. The blood from intestine passes into the liver via the hepatic portal vein. This blood is transported through the liver as the liver regulates the quantity of substances in blood. Then the blood from the liver is taken back to the right atrium of the heart through the hepatic vein.


Where is the blood coming from the body first received?

Blood is produced in the marrow of your bones. It needs energy and water and nutrients to accomplish this. Energy comes from the food and nutrients you eat. Water is a must for the human body.


Why is the small intestines the main part of the digestive system?

The small intestines are important in the digestive system. There are small finger like structures in the Small intestines called villi, these villi extract the nutrients and take it into the blood stream. Without the small intestines you would not be able to extract nutrients from the food.


What absorbes food and pass it into blood vessels from the ileum?

In the Small Intestine there are three section that are responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption. The first section is called the duodenum. The duodenum is manly responsible for the digestion of food. The second section is called the jejunum. The jejunum is the primary site of nutrient absorption. The third section is called the ileum. The ileum is the section that absorbs the nutrients that the jejunum missed.