Biology B2- Enzymes and Digestion

what are the enzymes used in digestion produced by

Cells and then released into the gut to mix with food

3 examples of 3 BIG molecules

starch, proteins, and fats

what is the drawback of these big molecules

they're too big to pass through the walls of the digestive system

what does the digestive system do to solve this issue

digestive enzymes break these BIG molecules down into smaller ones like sugars (e.g glucose and maltose), amino acids, glycerol, and fatty acids

what is the benefit of these smaller, soluble molecules

they can pass easily through the walls of the digestive system

where do these smaller molecules go?

absorbed into the bloodstream

what do carbohydrases convert carbohydrates into

simple sugars

give an example of a carbohydrase

amylase, it breaks down starch

What 3 places are amylase made?

Salivary glands, pancreas, small intestine

what do proteases convert proteins into

amino acids

What 3 places is proteases made?

stomach (called pepsin there), pancreas, small intestine

What do lipases convert lipids & glycerol into?

fatty acids

what 2 places are lipids made?

pancreas, small intestine

meaning of lipids

fats and oils

where is bile produced

In the liver

where is bile stored

gallbladder

Where is bile released into?

small intestine

what acid is found in the stomach

hydrochloric acid

this makes the pH too...

acidic for enzymes in the small intestine too work properly

is bile alkaline or acidic

alkaline to neutralise stomach acid

what does bile do to the acid

neutralises it and makes conditions alkaline

why is this good for the enzymes in the small intestine

they work best in alkaline conditions

what is another function of bile

emulsifies fats (breaks the fat into tiny droplets)

what does this do?

gives a bigger surface area of fat for the enzyme lipase to work on - making digestion faster