Fat Emulsification
- How bile salt's amphipathic nature aids in fat digestion.
- Bile salt's amphipathic nature aids in fat digestion.
- Bile salts and phospholipids (another amphipathic molecule and emulsifying agent) increase the surface area of large fat globules
- Aid in their breakdown into smaller emulsification droplets and prevent their reaggregation.
Lipid droplets comprise triglycerides.
- Lipase, with the help of colipase, digest triglycerides into their simpler components:
- Monoglyceride (glycerol), and
- [Two] fatty acids, which are absorbed by the small intestine.
- Bile salts arrange the monoglyceride, fatty acids, and phospholipids to form spherically-arranged micelles.
- Promoted by amphipathic nature of fatty acids and phospholipids promotes this spherical formation
- Micelles continuously form and breakdown.
- Micelles = Holding stations for digested fats
- Continuously exchange lipids with the surrounding solution.
- Form to keep otherwise insoluble fats in small, soluble aggregates.
- Break down to replenish digested fat products that are absorbed.