Summary of digestion and absorption in the small intestine

Enzymes break polysaccharides down to simple sugars, or monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides are actively transported into brush border cells, then out into interstitial fluid. 3
Proteins are broken into polypeptides, then amino acids. 4
Amino acids are actively transported into brush border cells, then out into interstitial fluid.  
Movements of the intestinal wall break up fat globules into small droplets. Bile salts coat the droplets, so that globules cannot form again.
6. Pancreatic enzymes digest the droplets to fatty acids and Monoglycerides
7. Monoglycerides and fatty acids diffuse across the plasma membrane’s lipid bilayer, into brush border cells.
8. In a brush border cell, the products of fat digestion form triglycerides, which associate with proteins. The resulting lipoproteins are then expelled by exocytosis into the interstitial fluid inside the villus. 1