This process is not terribly efficient and depending on the situation might take some time. After passing through the stomach, enzymes on the surface of the small intestine chop the oligopeptides into smaller chains 1-3 aminos long. These are refereed to as single, dipeptide or tripeptide aminos, depending on their length. These small aminos then enter the small intestine cells by crossing the outer cell membrane. In order to cross the cell membrane, receptor sites must be utilized.
Intestinal cells are very receptor selective.
Absorption will not occur unless the right length amino binds to the proper amino receptor site. All receptor sites work equally fast. After making their way into the small intestine the dipeptide and tripeptides are instantaneously chopped into single amino by internal intestinal enzymes. The single aminos are then dumped into bloodstream where the muscle cells will choose which single aminos they need. This increases protein synthesis which stimulates recovery and tissue repair or growth.