Cellulose digestion

Cellulose digestion involves breaking down a complex carbohydrate found in plant cell walls into simpler sugars. Since humans lack the enzymes to directly digest cellulose, it passes through the digestive system mostly unchanged. However, certain animals like cows and termites have specialized microorganisms in their guts—such as bacteria and protozoa—that produce enzymes called cellulases. These microbes break down cellulose into glucose molecules, which can then be absorbed and used for energy. This cooperative process allows these animals to extract nutrients from fibrous plant materials that humans cannot effectively digest on their own.