Which transport mechanism is most probably functioning in the intestinal cells using the following information?
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Glucose diffuses slowly through artificial phospholipid bilayers. The cells lining the small intestine, however, rapidly move large quantities of glucose from the glucose-rich food into their glucose-poor cytoplasm.
The correct answer is Facilitated diffusion Glucose is a large molecule, and it would be difficult for it to pass through the phospholipid bilayer, as so, facilitated diffusion is the transport mechanism that functions in the absorption of glucose in the intestinal cells.
Glucose is transported against the concentration gradient and with the aid of the carrier protein located at the membrane; glucose is transported from one end of the layer to another. The movement of glucose can be rapid or slow, this depends on the number of carrier protein available at the membrane. Facilitated diffusion helps in the release of accumulated glucose into the extracellular space adjacent to the blood capillary Hope this helps!
This description of the transport of glucose through the body is showing facilitated diffusion. There are two stages in the process of transport of glucose from intestinal lumen into the absorptive cell. First sodium ion from inside the cells is transported to interstitial fluid, so then there is low sodium concentration inside the cell.
This makes sodium ions transport, with help from other protein, from intestinal lumen by facilitated diffusion The transport protein transports sodium ion, dragging glucose along with sodium ion from the lumen into the cell.