Nutrient Transport in the Human Body

How do nutrients travel from the digestive system to the cells of the body?

How does the circulatory system ensure the delivery of nutrients to body cells?

Answer:

The plasma in the bloodstream transports nutrients absorbed by the digestive system to the cells in the body. These nutrients are used as fuels or converted into needed compounds. It is the function of the circulatory system to encompass this process, ensuring the delivery of nutrients, removal of wastes, and the overall maintenance of homeostasis.

The plasma in our body transports nutrients from the digestive system to the cells of the body to be used as fuel or as raw materials to produce necessary compounds. These nutrients are absorbed from the food we eat, and most of them travel in the bloodstream directly to the liver. There, they are processed and released back into the bloodstream for delivery to body cells.

Just like a complex network of highways transporting people and goods, the circulatory system transports these nutrients, as well as gases and waste products, throughout our bodies. Different nutrient types are absorbed and transported in different ways. For instance, water-soluble nutrients require active transport to pass through cell membranes, while lipid-soluble nutrients can diffuse through plasma membranes naturally.

This extensive network system ensures that our body's cells, tissues, and organs receive the required oxygen and nutrients they need, and simultaneously remove carbon dioxide and waste products, which are byproducts of respiration.