The Chemical Process of Digestion

Schmidt, R. Cubiles, and S. J. Thannhauser, Cold Spring Harbor Symposia 

The end point of digestion is a matter of definition. Previously it was pointed out that the result of polysaccharide or protein digestion must involve a loss of specificity. In addition, the end product must be available to the cells. It is possible that the cells may further hydrolyze, and in that sense, digest, absorbed metabolites before assimilating or catabolizing them. The extracellular proteinases of the mammalian gut act on proteins to the extent of hydrolyzing them to a mixture composed of a high proportion of peptides compared to amino acids. Most of the work on intestinal 

Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa, Academic Press, New 

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