In celiac disease, the immune response to gluten damages the microvilli of the small intestine. Why does this lead to malnutrition?
AThe stomach stops producing its own acid
BThe damaged cells cannot absorb nutrients
CThe gut microbes begin making toxins
DThe food moves too quickly to be chewed
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. The damaged cells cannot absorb nutrients
1. Microvilli are fingerlike folds of the plasma membrane on cells that specialize in absorption.
2. They line the small intestine, the organ that absorbs nutrients from digested food.
3. The folds increase the surface area available for absorption, a clear case of form following function.
4. When the immune response damages the microvilli, afflicted individuals cannot absorb nutrients.
5. Malnutrition follows, along with cramping and diarrhea, which is why patients keep a gluten-free diet.
6. Stomach acid and chewing sit upstream of the damage, so those options blame the wrong step.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Cell Structure", section 4.3 Eukaryotic Cells_
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