what are enzymes?List the digestive enzymes and write their functions.
Answers
Answer:
Digestive enzymes are substances secreted by the salivary glands and cells lining the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine to aid in the digestion of food.1
Types
Each of the many different digestive enzymes targets a specific nutrient, splitting it up into a form that can eventually be absorbed. The most significant digestive enzymes are:
Amylase
Amylase is essential for the digestion of carbohydrates. It breaks down starches into sugars. Amylase is secreted by both the salivary glands and the pancreas. The measurement of amylase levels in the blood is sometimes used as an aid in diagnosing various pancreas or other digestive tract diseases.
High levels of amylase in the blood may indicate a blocked or injured duct of the pancreas, pancreatic cancer, or acute pancreatitis, a sudden inflammation of the pancreas.2 Low levels may indicate chronic pancreatitis (ongoing inflammation of the pancreas) or liver disease.
Maltase
Maltase is secreted by the small intestine and is responsible for breaking down maltose (malt sugar) into glucose (simple sugar) that the body uses for energy.
During digestion, starch is partially transformed into maltose by amylases. The maltase then converts maltose into glucose that is either used immediately by the body or stored in the liver as glycogen for future use.
Lactase
Lactase (also called lactase-phlorizin hydrolase) is a type of enzyme that breaks down lactose, a sugar found in dairy products, into the simple sugars glucose and galactose.
Lactase is produced by cells known as enterocytes that line the intestinal tract. Lactose that is not absorbed undergoes fermentation by bacteria and can result in gas and intestinal upset.3
Lipase
Lipase is responsible for the breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol (simple sugar alcohol). It's produced in small amounts by your mouth and stomach, and in larger amounts by your pancreas.
Proteases
Also called peptidases, proteolytic enzymes, or proteinases, these digestive enzymes break down proteins into amino acids. In addition, they play a role in numerous body processes, including cell division, blood clotting, and immune function.4
Proteases are produced in the stomach and pancreas. The main ones are:
Pepsin: Pepsin is secreted by the stomach to break down proteins into peptides, or smaller groupings of amino acids, that are either absorbed or broken down further in the small intestine
Trypsin: Trypsin forms when an enzyme secreted by the pancreas is activated by an enzyme in the small intestine. Trypsin then activates additional pancreatic enzymes, such as carboxypeptidase and chymotrypsin, to assist in breaking down peptides.
Chymotrypsin: This enzyme breaks down peptides into free amino acids that can be absorbed by the intestinal wall.
Carboxypeptidase A: Secreted by the pancreas, it splits peptides into individual amino acids.
Carboxypeptidase B: Secreted by the pancreas, it breaks down basic amino acids.
The Health Benefits of Proteolytic Enzymes
Sucrase
Sucrase is secreted by the small intestine where it breaks down sucrose into fructose and glucose, simpler sugars that the body can absorb. Sucrase is found along the intestinal villi, tiny hair-like projections that line the intestine and shuttle nutrients into the bloodstream.
Answer:
Enzymes play a key role in the digestion of food. There are hundreds of enzymes in addition to those involved in digestion, but the general characteristics of all enzymes are the same.
Explanation:
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