Question

Are monosaccharides, amino acids, triglycerides, nucleic acids, or proteins absorbed by the lymphatic system?

Answer 1

Triglycerides.

Explanation:

Triglycerides are fatty molecules that are absorbed in a different way than the other molecules. Triglycerides are hydrophobic (not water soluble) and therefore not easily /effectively transported by blood.

In the bowel, fat molecules are packaged into hydrophilic (water soluble) particles called chylomicrons. These particles are too large to be transported to the small capillary arteries in which food molecules are usually absorbed.

Instead, the chylomicrons are transported to the lymph vessels close to the epithelial cells of the intestine (see image). The lymph will eventually release the chylomicrons into larger blood vessels from where the fat molecules are distributed to target organs.