Digestive Enzymes

Question 1

What are enzymes?

Answer 1

Special proteins that can speed up the rate of chemical reactions.

Question 2

Most of the carbohydrates we eat are in the form of starch. Starch is a polymer of what?

Answer 2

Glucose

It’s a really long molecule made up of loads of glucose molecules. We can call these the monomers.

Question 3

How do we break down carbohydrates?

Answer 3

Carbohydrates are in the form of starch, so in order to break the starch down we first use the enzyme amylase, which breaks it into maltose molecules. These are basically just 2 glucose molecules stuck together.

Then, the enzyme maltase, breaks the maltose down into glucose, which is now small enough for us to absorb.

Question 4

How are proteins broken down?

Answer 4

Proteins are broken down by the enzyme protease into amino acids.

Protease - A whole group of enzymes, which include specific enzymes like trypsin and pepsin.

Question 5

How do we break down lipids?

Answer 5

Lipids are broken down by lipase enzymes, into smaller molecules called glycerol and fatty acids.

While bile isn’t an enzyme, it does help in the breakdown of lipids because it emulsifies them. This means that it can take big drops of lipid and break them up into lots of little droplets. This is useful because it increases the surface area for the lipase enzymes to break the lipids down properly.

Question 6

Where are the amylase enzymes all made?

Answer 6

In the pancreas, the small intestine, and the salivary glands in the mouth.

Question 7

Where are the protease enzymes all made?

Answer 7

In the pancreas, the small intestine, and in the stomach.

Question 8

Where are the lipase enzymes all made?

Answer 8

In the pancreas and the small intestine.