Assimilation
The process by which absorbed food molecules are taken into body cells and used.
In other languages
- EN: Assimilation
- BM: Asimilasi
- 中文: 同化
In the syllabus and the exam
Assimilation completes the digestive system content standard by describing what happens to nutrients once they have crossed from the gut into the bloodstream, distinguishing it clearly from the earlier steps of digestion and absorption. Candidates must be able to give concrete examples, such as glucose being assimilated into cells for respiration or converted to glycogen for storage, and amino acids being assimilated to build new proteins, enzymes and hormones, or to repair tissue. A frequent exam pattern lists digestion, absorption and assimilation together and asks candidates to match each term to its correct definition or to sequence them in the order they occur in the body, since candidates often place assimilation before absorption or use the two terms as synonyms. A stronger answer always specifies which nutrient is being assimilated and into which type of cell or molecule it is incorporated, rather than giving a generic statement that nutrients are simply used by the body.
Example
Amino acids absorbed after digestion are assimilated into liver and muscle cells, where they are used to build new proteins.
Related terms
Source:SRC-DSKP-EN
Chapter: Nutrition and Human Digestive System
Related
One-hour paid trial · Same-day reply