BRAINCAKEAbsorption of Fatty Acids
Bile salts emulsify fats. They have one end which is soluble in fat(lipophilic) and one end which is soluble in water(hydrophilic).
When in an aqueous medium they arrange themselves with their lipophilic ends in the fat and the hydrophilic ends sticking out into the aqueous layer.
This prevents fat droplets from sticking together and forming large fat droplets leaving tiny droplets called micelles suspended in the aqueous medium.
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Key terms in this lesson
- triglyceride
- A lipid made of one glycerol molecule joined to three fatty acids by ester bonds.
- smooth endoplasmic reticulum
- A network of membranes without ribosomes, involved in the synthesis and storage of lipids and carbohydrates.
More in Digestion
- The Digestive System
- Carbohydrate Digestion
- Lipid Digestion
- Protein Digestion
- Structure of the Ileum
- Absorption of Amino Acids
- Absorption of Monosaccharides
- Absorption of Triglycerides
All 10 lessons in Digestion · All AQA AS-level Biology topics