Enzymes in digestion

• Digestive enzymes are produced by specialist cells in glands and in the lining of the gut:

  1. The enzymes pass out of the cells into the digestive system.
  2. They come into contact with food molecules.
  3. They catalyse the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into smaller soluble molecules.
• The digestive enzymes, protease, lipase and carbohydrase, digest proteins lipids (fats and oils) and carbohydrates to produce smaller molecules that can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream.
• The products of the digestion are then transported and used as building blocks for new carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
• Some of the glucose is used in respiration.
• Amylase:

  • is produced in the salivary glands and the pancreas.
  • is a carbohydrase that breaks down starch into maltose (a sugar)
  • maltose is later broken down into glucose.
• Protease:

  • is produced in the stomach, pancreas and small intestine.
  • breaks down into protein and amino acids.
• Lipase:

  • is produced in the pancreas and small intestine
  • breaks down lipids (fats) into fatty acids and glycerol.