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Intro to Lipid Digestion definitions

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  • Triacylglycerol
    Most abundant dietary lipid, serving as a rich energy source, composed of three fatty acids linked to glycerol.
  • Mechanical Digestion
    Physical breakdown of fats in the mouth and stomach, producing smaller droplets called globules.
  • Globule
    Small droplet formed from larger fat particles during initial physical breakdown in the digestive tract.
  • Small Intestine
    Primary site for biochemical breakdown of dietary fats, where most lipid digestion occurs.
  • Bile
    Digestive fluid containing bile salts and phospholipids, crucial for emulsifying dietary fats.
  • Bile Salt
    Component of bile that acts as an emulsifying agent, aiding in the transformation of fat globules into micelles.
  • Emulsification
    Process where bile salts disperse fat globules into micelles, increasing surface area and solubility.
  • Micelle
    Tiny, soluble particle formed from emulsified fats, facilitating absorption in the small intestine.
  • Pancreatic Lipase
    Enzyme secreted into the small intestine that hydrolyzes triacylglycerols into monoacylglycerols and fatty acids.
  • Monoacylglycerol
    Product of partial hydrolysis of triacylglycerols, containing a single fatty acid attached to glycerol.
  • Fatty Acid
    Molecule released from triacylglycerol hydrolysis, serving as a key energy source and metabolic intermediate.
  • Ester Linkage
    Chemical bond connecting fatty acids to glycerol in triacylglycerols, targeted during lipid hydrolysis.
  • Hydrolysis
    Chemical reaction involving water that breaks ester linkages in fats, yielding monoacylglycerols and fatty acids.
  • Phospholipid
    Component of bile that assists in emulsifying fats, enhancing the formation of micelles.