Question:

Bile salts are essential for the effective digestion of which type of macro-molecules?

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Bile salts emulsify dietary fats into mixed micelles, providing interfacial surface area for pancreatic lipase.
  • Protein
  • Fat
  • Carbohydrate
  • Minerals
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Dietary triglycerides are hydrophobic lipids that require physical emulsification before pancreatic enzymes can act in the aqueous lumen of the small intestine.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Bile salts (such as sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate) are amphipathic sterol derivatives synthesized in the liver and secreted via bile.
They act as biological surfactants, emulsifying large dietary fat globules into microscopic emulsion droplets (micelles).
This drastically increases the interfacial surface area for pancreatic lipase and colipase to hydrolyze triglycerides into free fatty acids and 2-monoglycerides.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Therefore, bile salts are essential for the digestion of fats.
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