Question

State the role of the following in human digestive system:​

(i) Digestive enzymes​

(ii) Hydrochloric acid

Answer 1

(i). Digestive enzymes:

1. Digestive enzymes are the enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules into smaller building blocks to facilitate their absorption by the body.
2. Digestive enzymes convert the food into smaller molecules that your tissues, cells, and organs utilise for many metabolic functions.
3. There are basically three types of enzymes found in human digestive system- amylases, proteases and lipase.
4. Digestive enzymes convert the food into smaller molecules that your tissues, cells, and organs utilise for many metabolic functions.
5. Amylases are produced in mouth in saliva and by pancreas.
6. protease enzyme breaks down protein into amino acids, which are its building blocks.
7. The three main protease enzymes are trypsin, pepsin, and chymotrypsin.
8. Pepsin is produced in stomach in the form of pepsinogen and trypsin and chymotrypsin are formed by pancreas.
9. Lipase enzyme breaks down dietary fats into smaller molecules known as glycerol and fatty acids and is produced by pancreas.

(ii). Hydrochloric acid:

1. Hydrochloric acid is an essential acid in the stomach.
2. It helps destroy bacteria, as well as other harmful species.
3. It also works as a preservative of food.
4. HCl converts pepsinogen which is not active into pepsin to metabolize proteins in our stomach.
5. HCl also acts as another stomach cover apart from mucus, to avoid the pepsin to digesting the entire stomach.