Author: Glossary
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Oral digestion
That part of digestion that takes place in the mouth. It includes the physical process of chewing food and the chemical process of starch splitting by the enzyme amylase, present in the saliva.
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Mechanical digestion
The conversion of food into small pieces by chewing, churning of the stomach, or the emulsifying action of bile salts, exposing more surface area to digestive enzymes.
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Lipolytic digestion
The conversion of neutral fats by hydrolysis into fatty acids and glycerol; fat splitting.
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Intracellular digestion
That part of digestion that occurs in the intestine. The consumption and chemical degradation of materials ingested by cells (e.g., bacteria, viruses, or large molecules) within vacuoles in the cytoplasm.
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Intestinal digestion
That part of digestion that occurs in the intestine.
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Extracellular digestion
Digestion outside a cell, as of tissue by bacterial enzymes (toxins).
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Duodenal digestion
That part of digestion that occurs in the duodenum where stomach contents mix with biliary and pancreatic secretions. The duodenum absorbs iron, vitamin B12, and other essential nutrients.
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Chemical digestion
The conversion of complex food molecules into simpler molecules by digestive enzymes.
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Artificial digestion
Digestion occurring outside the living organism by an enzyme.
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Digestant
A n agent that digests food or aids in digestion, such as pepsin or pancreatin.