Final answer:
Micelles, which are formed from bile salts and lecithin, must release fatty acids and mono-glycerides to allow their absorption through the epithelial cells in the small intestine via simple diffusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before fatty acids and mono-glycerides can pass through the epithelial lining of the intestine, they must be released from micelles. This occurs in the small intestine where bile salts and lecithin form micelles that sequester these hydrophobic lipid digestion products within their hydrophilic outer layers.
As micelles come into close contact with the intestinal microvilli, they deliver their contents to the cell membranes of epithelial cells through simple diffusion.
Once the fatty acids and mono-glycerides have exited the micelle, they can be taken up by the cells, re-esterified into triglycerides, and eventually packaged into chylomicrons for transport via the lymphatic system.