Question

What part of the circulatory system distributes the digested fats such as fatty acids and glycerol throughout the body?

Answer 1

• Fatty acids, glycerol along with cholesterol, fat soluble vitamins, etc enter lacteal (lymph capillary present in villus) as chylomicron. The chylomicron along with lymphatic fluid form milky white chyle inside lymph vessel (hence the name lacteal).
• Though digested fats are absorbed by lymphatic capillaries, it is ultimately drained into left subclavian vein by left thoracic duct (= major lymphatic duct).

Flow of lymph is very slow: about 100 ml of lymph is drained by left thoracic duct per hour into the venous blood. After mixing with blood in heart, fat could be transported to every tissue of the body.

So both blood and lymph help in transportation of fat.

Fat tends to be deposited in subcutaneous layer, liver and also around viscera.