61 3.44 Lipid Digestion in the Small Intestine
The small intestine is the major site for lipid digestion. There are specific enzymes for the digestion of triglycerides, phospholipids, and cleavage of esters from cholesterol. We will look at each in this section.
Triglycerides
The pancreas secretes pancreatic lipase into the duodenum as part of pancreatic juice. This major triglyceride digestion enzyme preferentially cleaves the sn-1 and sn-3 fatty acids from triglycerides. This cleavage results in the formation of a 2-monoglyceride and two free fatty acids as shown below.
To assist lipase, colipase serves as an anchor point to help lipase attach to the triglyceride droplet.
Phospholipids
The enzyme phospholipase A2 cleaves the C-2 fatty acid of lecithin, producing lysolecithin and a free fatty acid.
Cholesterol Esters
The fatty acid in cholesterol esters is cleaved by the enzyme, cholesterol esterase, producing cholesterol and a free fatty acid.
Formation of Mixed Micelles
If nothing else happened at this point, the 2-monoglycerides and fatty acids produced by pancreatic lipase would form micelles. The hydrophilic heads would be outward and the fatty acids would be buried on the interior. These micelles are not sufficiently water-soluble to cross the unstirred water layer to get to the brush border of enterocytes. Thus, mixed micelles are formed containing cholesterol, bile acids, and lysolecithin in addition to the 2-monoglycerides and fatty acids, as illustrated below1.
Mixed micelles are more water-soluble, allowing them to cross the unstirred water layer to the brush border of enterocytes for absorption.
References & Links
1. Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. (2008) Advanced nutrition and human metabolism. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.