Animal Nutrition: Understanding Calories, Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats

What is the role of carbohydrates in the body?

How many calories per gram do fats typically contain?

Which nutrients are essential for animals and must be obtained from their diet?

What is the main function of proteins in the body?

Which vitamins are considered water-soluble?

What are trace elements/minerals needed by the body for?

What is the process called when a cell engulfs organic fragments or large particles?

Which type of animals suck fluids containing nutrients from a living host?

What type of digestive system is composed of a single opening for both food intake and waste removal?

Which organ secretes bile for emulsifying fats in a complete digestive system?

What is the name for animals that draw in water to strain small organisms and food particles present in the medium?

Which process relies on membrane receptor recognition of specific solutes for uptake by the cell?

Carbohydrates

Serve as the primary source of energy for the body.
Play a crucial role in metabolism and the functioning of cells.

Fats

Contain approximately 9 calories per gram, making them dense energy sources.

Essential Nutrients for Animals

Include amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that must be obtained through diet.

Proteins

Fundamental for building and repairing tissues.
Serve as enzymes and hormones, playing roles in various biochemical processes.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Include vitamin C and B-complex vitamins (like B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and folate).
Essential for energy production, immune function, and red blood cell formation.

Trace Elements/Minerals

Needed in small quantities for various physiological functions, including enzyme activity and structural roles in tissues.

Phagocytosis

The process by which a cell engulfs organic fragments or large particles, allowing for material uptake.

Parasitic Animals

Suck fluids containing nutrients from a living host, often harming the host in the process.

Gastrovascular Cavity

A digestive system with a single opening for both food intake and waste removal, typical in simpler organisms.

Liver

The organ responsible for secreting bile, which emulsifies fats in the digestive system, aiding in fat digestion and absorption.

Suspension Feeders

Animals that draw in water to filter out small organisms and food particles, adapting to aquatic environments.

Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis

A cellular process that relies on membrane receptor recognition of specific solutes, facilitating their uptake into the cell.

Learn about the nutritional requirements of animals, including the concepts of calories as units of energy in food, carbohydrates as a major energy source, proteins for building cell structures, and fats for various functions in the body.