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Chapter 22: Problem 100

Cows can digest cellulose, but humans can't. Why not?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Cows can digest cellulose because they have a specialized digestive system containing microorganisms capable of producing cellulase enzymes, while humans lack these enzymes and microorganisms in their digestive system. Therefore, humans cannot digest cellulose, and it serves as a dietary fiber that supports healthy digestion.

Step by step solution

01

Understand cellulose and its role in digestion

Cellulose is an insoluble dietary fiber composed of glucose molecules linked together. It is found in the cell walls of plants and provides structure and rigidity to them. Unlike humans, some animals can digest cellulose because they possess a particular enzyme called cellulase, which helps break down cellulose into simpler sugar molecules. Now let's examine the differences between cows' and humans' digestive systems to understand why cows can digest cellulose while humans can't.
02

Cows' digestive system

Cows belong to a group of animals called ruminants. Ruminants have a specialized stomach with four compartments: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. The rumen and reticulum are important for cellulose digestion, as they contain microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, and fungi capable of producing cellulase enzymes. These enzymes break down cellulose into simpler sugar molecules, which can then be absorbed and metabolized by the cow.
03

Humans' digestive system

In contrast, humans have a single-chambered stomach and a small intestine that utilize specific enzymes to digest food. Humans produce enzymes like amylase, protease, and lipase for the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but they do not produce cellulase enzymes. Therefore, they lack the ability to break down cellulose into digestible sugar molecules.
04

Role of gut bacteria

While humans do have gut bacteria in their intestines that can help break down certain indigestible fibers, they generally do not have the same types or quantities of cellulose-digesting microorganisms that cows do. Instead, when humans consume cellulose, it remains undigested and passes through their intestines, acting as a source of dietary fiber, which assists in digestion and supports gut health. In conclusion:
05

Differences in digestive systems and enzymes

Cows can digest cellulose because they have a specialized digestive system that contains microorganisms capable of producing cellulase enzymes. On the other hand, humans lack these enzymes and microorganisms in their digestive system, which is why they cannot digest cellulose. Instead, cellulose serves as a dietary fiber that supports healthy digestion in humans.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Ethylene oxide, is an important industrial chemical. Although most ethers are unreactive, ethylene oxide is quite reactive. It resembles \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4}\) in its reactions in that addition reactions occur across the \(\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{O}\) bond in ethylene oxide. a. Why is ethylene oxide so reactive? (Hint: Consider the bond angles in ethylene oxide as compared with those predicted by the VSEPR model.) b. Ethylene oxide undergoes addition polymerization, forming a polymer used in many applications requiring a nonionic surfactant. Draw the structure of this polymer.

Give the structure of each of the following aromatic hydrocarbons. a. \(o\) -ethyltoluene b. \(p\) -di-tert-butylbenzene c. \(m\) -diethylbenzene d. 1-phenyl-2-butene

Draw a structural formula for each of the following compounds. a. 2,2 -dimethylheptane c. 3,3 -dimethylheptane b. 2,3 -dimethylheptane d. 2,4 -dimethylheptane

Give two examples of saturated hydrocarbons. How many other atoms are bonded to each carbon in a saturated hydrocarbon?

There is only one compound that is named 1,2 -dichloroethane, but there are two distinct compounds that can be named 1,2-dichloroethene. Why?
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