(a) What is the role of hydrochloric acid in our stomach?
(b) What is the function of enzymes in the human digestive system?
(a) What is the role of hydrochloric acid in our stomach?
(b) What is the function of enzymes in the human digestive system?
(a) Hydrochloric acid is required to create an acidic medium in the stomach for the enzyme 'pepsin' to be produced from its inactive form 'pepsinogen'. This enzyme is mandatory for digestion of proteins. It also kills certain microorganisms which are not required to go further down in the alimentary canal.
(b)Enzymes, in short, are proteins. Their primary function is to serve as a catalyst in bodily functions. They accelerate chemical reactions in almost all bodily processes. Enzymes break down the substances we eat. That means enzymes break down proteins, cellulose, starches and other foodstuffs. This makes it possible for the intestines to absorb nutrients. Enzymes like amylases break down starches and other carbohydrates into disaccharides, and digestive enzymes such as sucrase, lactase, and maltase break down disaccharides into absorbable simple sugars (monosaccharides). Proteases break down protein into peptides, and peptidases break those peptides down into absorbable amino acids. Thus enzymes help to break down the food we get to absorbable form so that we get nutrients and survive.
(a) Hydrochloric acid is required to create an acidic medium in the stomach for the enzyme 'pepsin' to be produced from its inactive form 'pepsinogen'. This enzyme is mandatory for digestion of proteins. It also kills certain microorganisms which are not required to go further down in the alimentary canal.
(b)Enzymes, in short, are proteins. Their primary function is to serve as a catalyst in bodily functions. They accelerate chemical reactions in almost all bodily processes. Enzymes break down the substances we eat. That means enzymes break down proteins, cellulose, starches and other foodstuffs. This makes it possible for the intestines to absorb nutrients. Enzymes like amylases break down starches and other carbohydrates into disaccharides, and digestive enzymes such as sucrase, lactase, and maltase break down disaccharides into absorbable simple sugars (monosaccharides). Proteases break down protein into peptides, and peptidases break those peptides down into absorbable amino acids. Thus enzymes help to break down the food we get to absorbable form so that we get nutrients and survive.
