digestive enzymes

• What is the function of enzymes in the digestive system?

  They catalyze chemical reactions, speeding them up
• What are enzymes made of?

  Large protein molecules
• What is the active site of an enzyme?

  It is the groove where the substrate attaches
• What is the substrate in the context of enzymes?

  The molecule that the enzyme breaks down
• What does the lock and key theory describe?

  It describes how the substrate must fit perfectly into the active site of the enzyme
• What type of enzymes break down proteins?

  Proteases
• Where are proteases found in the digestive system?

  In the stomach and pancreatic fluid in the small intestine
• What are proteins made of?

  Long chains of amino acids
• What happens to proteins during digestion?

  Protease enzymes convert proteins back to individual amino acids
• What type of enzymes break down carbohydrates like starch?

  Carbohydrases
• What is the specific enzyme that breaks down starch?

  Amylase
• Where is amylase found?

  In saliva and pancreatic fluid
• What is the structure of a lipid molecule?

  A lipid consists of a molecule of glycerol attached to three fatty acids
• What enzyme digests lipids?

  Lipase
• What are the products of lipid digestion?

  Glycerol and fatty acids
• Where is lipase found?

  In pancreatic fluid and the small intestine
• What is the role of bile in lipid digestion?

  Bile emulsifies lipids, increasing the surface area for lipase action
• Where is bile produced and stored?

  Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder
• How does bile affect the digestion of lipids?

  Bile increases the rate of lipid breakdown by lipase
• What is the pH nature of bile and its effect on stomach acids?

  Bile is alkaline and neutralizes stomach acids
• What are the key enzymes involved in the digestion of different macromolecules?

  • Proteins: Digested by proteases
  • Carbohydrates: Digested by carbohydrases (e.g., amylase)
  • Lipids: Digested by lipase
• What are the steps involved in the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids?

  1. Proteins → Amino acids (by proteases)
  2. Carbohydrates → Simple sugars (by carbohydrases)
  3. Lipids → Glycerol and fatty acids (by lipase)
• What is the function of bile in lipid digestion?

  • Emulsifies lipids to increase surface area
  • Neutralizes stomach acids to create alkaline conditions