Final answer:
Medium-chain fatty acids typically bind to albumin after passing through enterocytes. Larger lipids, like chylomicrons, utilize the lymphatic system to reach the bloodstream where they are further processed.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medium-chain fatty acids may pass through the enterocytes and directly into the portal blood where they primarily bind to albumin. Albumin is a protein that acts as a carrier for various substances in the blood, including fatty acids. Other lipids, such as chylomicrons, enter the lymphatic system rather than the portal circulation because they are too large to pass through the basement membranes of the blood capillaries. Once the chylomicrons reach the bloodstream, lipoprotein lipase breaks down the triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol, which can be used for energy or stored as fat.