title: An hypothesis for the action of dietary fiber along the gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Dietary fiber consists of a sponge matrix with specific physicochemical properties. These properties are dependent on the structure and composition of the fiber components and determine the physiological effects of different food fibers in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion; D004068:Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000502:physiology; D007474:Ion Exchange; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000502:physiology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014867:Water; D002482:Cellulose