Absorption and transport mechanism of small peptides and their physiological functions

Small peptides is one of the main components in the final product of protein digestion in the gastrointestinal tract,which plays an important role in protein nutrition.Present studies show that small peptides in the intestine can be absorbed directly into the circulation,which is also the main form of protein absorption in vivo.However,the transporter system of small peptides is independent from that of amino acids.This paper elaborates on the absorption and transport system of small peptides,their advantages in enteral nutrition,and some small peptides with critical physiological functions. Key words: Small peptide;  Transport system;  Enteral nutrition;  Physiological function