CARBOHYDRATE

ABSORPTION
NEERAJA S. RAJ
S1 MSc Biochemistry
University of kerala, Kariavattom
Introduction…

• Carbohydrates in the diet provide the major exogenous source for glucose, which is
the primary energy source for cells.

• Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 kilocalories.

• Carbohydrates are hydrophilic and require a series of reactions to digest them to

monosaccharides which are then absorbed by the small intestine.

• The goal of carbohydrate digestion is to break down all disaccharides and complex
carbohydrates into monosaccharides for absorption.
Absorption: Going to the Blood Stream..

• Once carbohydrates are digested, the products must be absorbed and transported to
the portal circulation.

• Absorption means the passage of the products of digestion from the lumen of the
small intestine into the blood and lymphatic vessels in the wall of the gut.

• Monosaccharide units like glucose, galactose and fructose are the main
carbohydrates absorbed.

• They are then transported through the wall of the small intestine into the portal vein
which then takes them straight to the liver

• The mode of absorption varies between the three monosaccharides.

Where it happens..
• The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract where absorption of
nutrients and minerals from the food takes place.

• The small intestine has three distinct regions – the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

• The duodenum digests the food

materials for absorption.

• The jejunum is specialized for the

absorption through its small finger
like protrusions called villi and
lining by enterocytes.
There are two classes of glucose transporters involved in glucose
homeostasis in the body;

• The facilitated transporters or uniporters (GLUTs)

• The active transporters or symporters (SGLTs).

The energy for active glucose
transport is provided by the
sodium gradient across the
cell membrane
How are they transported..

• Glucose at low concentrations is transported by active transport, via a sodium

dependent transporter.
At higher concentrations, a second mode of transport becomes involved.

• Galactose is transported in the same way as glucose, utilizing the same

transporters. As galactose is not found as a monosaccharide in nature, absorbed
galactose primarily comes from the breakdown of lactose.

• Fructose moves entirely via facilitated diffusion.

This process utilizes a different transporter when entering the enterocytes, but
both fructose and glucose use the same transporter to exit the enterocyte into the
capillaries.
Digestion and absorption are typically
coupled, with the enzymes closely located
to the appropriate transporters.

Glucose absorption occurs in the small

intestine via the SGLT-1 transporter (sodium
glucose co-transporter).

The transporter is
more prevalent in Galactose is also actively transported from
the duodenum the small intestine lumen by the sodium
and jejunum. glucose transporter (SGLT-1).

Fructose absorption is completed via the

GLUT5 transporter by facilitated diffusion.
Glucose transport is driven
by a sodium gradient
across the apical cell
membrane generated by
the Na+K+ATPase pump
located in the basolateral
membrane of the
enterocyte.

The Na+K+ATPase pump creates a low intracellular

sodium concentration by transporting 3 Na+ ions out
of the cell and 2 K+ ions into the cell.
The SGLT-1 transporter utilizes this sodium gradient.
Two Na+ ions bind to the outer face of
the SGLT-1 transporter which results in
a conformational change permitting
subsequent glucose binding.
Much of the glucose transported into the
cell passes out of the cell by facilitated
diffusion via GLUT-2. A small portion of the
glucose is utilized by the cell.
The two Na+ ions and the glucose molecule
are then transferred to the cytoplasmic side
of the membrane following another
conformational change that involves
rotation of the receptor.
The sodium is transported from
high to low concentration (along
concentration gradient) and at
the same time the carrier
transport glucose against its
concentration gradient.
The Na+ ion is subsequently expelled by
Na+K+ATPase pump to maintain the
gradient.
Facilitated diffusion is the mechanism for
fructose transport. It utilizes a carrier
protein to achieve transport and does not
rely on concentration gradients.

GLUT-5 is present on the apical membrane

of the brush border throughout the small
intestine.

Little fructose is metabolized in the cell. Both

GLUT-2 and GLUT-5 are present at the
basolateral membrane to transport fructose
to the portal circulation.
 Our bodies work hard to maintain blood glucose in a specific range, 80-120
mg/dL.

 Insulin, glucagon, adrenaline etc. are some hormones which regulate

glucose levels.

 The first organ to receive glucose, fructose, and galactose is the liver.

 Once in the liver galactose and fructose are removed from the blood and
converted into glucose and stored as glycogen.

 On the other hand most of the glucose derived from food is transported via
the blood stream to the peripheral tissues.

 The hormone insulin enables glucose to be taken up by the cells and use it
as an energy source via the glycolysis pathway.
Glucose transporters
Sodium-dependent glucose transporters
 Other mode of carbohydrate absorption
Transepithelial transport
or
Solvent drag • Water leaks from the lumen
or through paracellular space to
Convective transport reach osmotic equilibrium on
the basolateral side.

• Water flow pulls additional

solutes(Na+, K+, Cl-, glucose)
from the luminal space to the
basolateral space.

• It takes places in the upper small

intestine where tight junctions
are the leakiest.

• This is not the main mechanism

of glucose absorption but is
important after a carbohydrate
rich diet.
 Reference….

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pgno:291-310.

• Thomas M. Devlin; Textbook of biochemistry with clinical correlations;

pageno:1055-1076.

• G.K.Pal; Comprehensive textbook of medical physiology-volume1; Pgno:412-

422.

• Kurt E. Johnson; histology and cell biology ; Pageno:227-232.

• Abraham L. Kierszenbaum, Laura L. Tres; Histology and cell biology-An

Introduction to Pathology; Pageno:409-504.

• Kenneth S. Saladin; Anatomy & physiology-the unity of form and function;

pgno:980-984.

• U. Satyanarayana, U. Chakrapani; Biochemistry; Pgno:167-169