The Small Intestine and Liver

Concept Covered: The small intestine is the primary site of digestion and it interacts
with the liver because the liver acts as a storage site for amino acids and glucose.
Grade Level: 11-12
Standards Covered:

CO.HS.2.3: Cellular metabolic activities are carried out by biomolecules

produced by organisms.
CO.HS.2.5: Cells use passive and active transport of substances across
membranes to maintain relatively stable internal environments.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to discuss the breakdown of macromolecules in the presence

of enzymes.
Students will be able to discuss the different aspects of the digestive system using
the four-process approach.
Students will be able to explain the role of the endocrine system in digestion.

Materials:

Document Camera
Projector
Liver-pancreas sheet

Preparation:

Print Class sets of notes

Procedure:
Hook:
o Ask students to answer the following questions.
By the time our food leaves the stomach, what macromolecules or
their subunits do we have? What is the fate of these
subunits/macromolecules?
Procedure
1. Take notes using the outline
I.

Small Intestine Anatomy

a. Duodenum
i. First 12 inches
ii. Little absorption

b. Ileum
i. ~2m
ii. Most absorptions
c. Jejunum
i. ~2m
ii. Little absorption
II.
III.

IV.

Motility
a. Peristalsis occurs to push food along the intestinal tract
Secretion
a. Pancreatic duodenum communication
i. Intestine Cells
1. I-Cell
a. Monitor lipid and protein concentrations of chyme
coming from stomach
b. release CCK
c. to Acinar cells
2. S-cell
a. Monitor [H+] in chyme coming from stomach
b. Release secretin
c. To duct cells
ii. Pancreas Cells
1. Acinar cells
a. Release digestive enzymes
b. In response to CCK
2. Duct cells
a. Release bicarbonate
b. In response to secretin
Digestion
a. Bulk Phase
i. Some break down of carbohydrates and proteins
ii. Lipase breaks down fats
1. Fatty acids
2. glycerol
b. Brush border/Unstirred layer
i. Breaking down sugars into monosccharides
1. Maltose Glucose + glucose
a. Because of maltase
2. Sucrose Glucose + fructose
a. Because of sucrase
3. Lactose Glucose + galactose [Explain why lactose
intolerance is not an allergy. There is no immune
response, just a lack of an enzyme. The symptoms are
caused by the bacteria in your gut breaking down
lactose instead of your body and producing waste.]
ii. Breaking down proteins into amino acids

1. Carboxy peptidase
a. Removes AA at carboxy end
2. Amine peptidase
a. Removes AA at amine end
V.

VI.

Absorption
a. Na+ driven co transporter [Explain that the same driving force that
pulled Na+ into a neuron is occurring at the enterocyte.]
i. No need for ATP
ii. 1 Na+/ 1 glucose or amino acid
b. Transported across the basolateral surface
i. Glut-2 for glucose
ii. Facilitated diffusor for amino acids
c. To capillary
i. To hepatic portal vein
1. To liver
The Role of the Liver
a. Over 300 functions
i. Storage
1. Amino Acids albumin
2. Glucose glycogen
3. Insulin Glucagon Cycle

ii. Production of bile

1. Bile is both hydrophobic and hydrophilic
a. Creates micelles to dissolve fats

Closure:
o Ask students to respond to the same question they did at the beginning of
class.
By the time our food leaves the stomach, what macromolecules or
their subunits do we have? What is the fate of these
subunits/macromolecules?

Differentiation:
Provide notes for students who may need them
Allow time for extension questions
Anticipated misconceptions:

Students may struggle remembering the difference between glycogen and

glucagon.

Assessment:
Exit ticket
Quiz the following class period