TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Gastrointestinal Physiology: Introduction A1 - Barrett, Kim E. A1 - Barman, Susan M. A1 - Boitano, Scott A1 - Reckelhoff, Jane F. PY - 2017 T2 - Ganong's Medical Physiology Examination & Board Review AB - For unicellular organisms, nutritional requirements can be satisfied by membrane transport proteins that permit the uptake of specific molecules. However, for multicellular organisms, the challenges of delivering nutrients to appropriate sites in the body are significantly greater. Further, most of the food we eat is in the form of macromolecules, and even when these are digested, most of the end products are water-soluble and do not readily cross cell membranes. Thus, the gastrointestinal system has evolved to permit nutrient acquisition and assimilation into the body, while prohibiting the uptake of undesirable substances. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/04/24 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1142557289 ER -