Holozoic
Nutrition: Steps
1. Ingestion
2. Digestion
3. Absorption
4. Assimilation
5. Egestion
Ingestion:
it is the process of intake of food. Ingestion depends on the size of food and
the structure of organ adapted of the ingestion of food. The different
organisms have different features to ingest, like amoeba ingest through
pseudopodia. Paramecium has cilia, hydra has tentacles, insect use their mouth
parts and humans use their mouth.
Digestion:
It is the process of breaking down of large sized, complex food that is
insoluble and non-diffusible. digestion is a catabolic process. The ingested
food is in form of protein, carbohydrates and fats, these are organic polymer
compounds. When this food breaks in simpler form, which is soluble and diffusible.
The protein converts in amino acids, carbohydrates in form of glucose and fats
into fatty acids, these are organic monomer compounds. This breakdown takes
place in presence of digestive enzymes that are in digestive juices which are
secreted by the digestive glands. Digestion is basically of two types:
intracellular digestion and intercellular digestion. Intracellular digestion takes place inside the
cell. This takes place generally in case of lower organisms. Eg; sponges,
protozoa, amoeba. . Intercellular
digestion takes place inside the alimentary canal. This takes place generally
in case of higher organisms. Eg; human beings
Absorption:
it is the process of absorption of diffusible nutrient through the wall of
alimentary canal of small intestine. This absorbed food goes in the blood and
lymph. Generally the absorption is of two types: physical absorption and active
absorption. Physical absorption involves diffusion or osmosis of nutrients
whereas active transport involves movement of nutrient through the medium.
Assimilation:
it is an anabolic process in which the food that is broken down as simple nutrient
gets converted into complex bio molecule inside the cell these polysaccharides
helps in the growth and repair of tissue.
Egestion:
this is the process of expelling of undigested food in form of faeces. The
excess of water, undigested enzymes comprises the faeces. The roughage adds
bulk to faeces.