Industrial Zones
This yellowish-green fluid is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder to help emulsify fats.
bile
This hormone is secreted by the pancreas to lower blood glucose levels after a meal.
Insulin
Digestion of this macronutrient begins in the mouth via the enzyme salivary amylase.
carbohydrates
Most nutrient absorption occurs in this specific, middle section of the small intestine.
jejunum
This "anaerobic" metabolic pathway breaks down one molecule of glucose into two molecules of pyruvate.
glycolysis
A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin D or Dihydroxycholecalciferol
The liver converts excess glucose into this polysaccharide for short-term energy storage.
glycogen
This alkaline substance is secreted by the pancreas to neutralize acidic chyme entering the duodenum.
Sodium bicarbonate
This highly acidic fluid in the stomach denatures proteins to allow enzymes like pepsin to work.
hydrochloric acid
These finger-like projections on the intestinal wall vastly increase the surface area for absorption.
villi
This is the universal "energy currency" produced during cellular respiration.
ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)
This mineral is the central component of hemoglobin, allowing red blood cells to carry oxygen.
Iron
This is the primary vein that carries nutrient-rich blood from the GI tract directly to the liver.
hepatic portal vein
These "clusters" of endocrine cells in the pancreas contain alpha and beta cells.
Islets of Langerhans
This process uses bile salts to break large fat droplets into smaller ones, increasing the surface area for lipase.
emulsification
While amino acids enter the blood, large lipid droplets are absorbed into these specialized lymphatic capillaries.
lacteals
During starvation, the liver creates these molecules from fatty acids to provide an alternative fuel source for the brain.
ketone bodies
This fat soluble vitamin is important for blood clotting.
Vitamin K or Phylloquinone
The liver converts this toxic byproduct of protein metabolism into urea to be excreted by the kidneys.
ammonia
This inactive precursor is secreted by the pancreas and activated by enterokinase in the small intestine to digest proteins.
Trypsinogen
These are the three "brush border" enzymes responsible for breaking down disaccharides into monosaccharides.
maltase, sucrase, and lactase
These "shuttles" formed from bile salts and fatty acids carry lipids to the surface of the intestinal mucosal cells.
micelles
This metabolic cycle occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and produces FADH2 and NADH for the electron transport chain.
Krebs Cycle ( Citric Acid Cycle)
This B vitamin is crucial during early pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida.
Folate (or Folic Acid)
These specialized macrophages reside in the liver sinusoids to capture and digest bacteria and worn-out blood cells.
Kupffer cells
This hormone, produced by Delta cells, acts as an "off switch" to inhibit the secretion of both insulin and glucagon.
somatostatin
This gastric enzyme, primarily active in infants, helps coagulate milk proteins for easier digestion.
rennin (chymosin)
Glucose and galactose are absorbed via this specific method of transport, which requires a sodium gradient.
SGLT1
This is the process of creating glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, like amino acids or glycerol.
gluconeogenesis
This trace mineral is a necessary component of thyroid hormones.
Iodine