Question

What is the main function of HCL in the stomach?
(a)Activation of amylase enzyme
(b)Facilitation of absorption of food
(c)Dissolve enzymes
(d)Activation of pepsinogen to pepsin.

Answer 1

Hint: Our stomach secretes HCL to facilitate the Activation of the enzyme required for the digestion of protein particles in our food. Other than that, HCL also serves as an agent to kill bacteria normally ingested with food.

Complete answer:
The main function of HCL is to provide the necessary H+ for the Activation of pepsinogen into pepsin. Approximately 2 liters of HCL is secreted daily into our stomach. It also serves the purpose of protection by killing some bacteria by the high acidic environment.

Additional Information: Hydrochloric acid is secreted in our stomach when the digestion process starts, by the stimulation of parietal cells in the gastric gland by the combined action of acetylcholine and histamine. It has several purposes but the main one remains the Activation of pepsin and thus helps in the degradation of proteins in the stomach.
Due to the release of conc. HCL in the stomach, it's pH is very low- almost 1.5 to 3. This level of acidity also helps in killing some harmful bacteria ingested with food. The hormone somatostatin usually controls the acidity of the stomach by inhibiting the release of gastrin.
The conc. HCL contributes H+ ion to the pepsinogen to convert it to pepsin. Pepsinogen is generally released from the chief cells in the gastric glands and antrum of the stomach. The converted pepsin acts on the protein particles and breaks it down to peptides or amino acids, which gets further digested or absorbed in the small intestine. Without enough secretion of HCL, the protein won't get digested well in the stomach and the whole digestion process won't work effectively.
Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Note: Over secretion of the hormone named gastrin may cause excessive production of HCL in the stomach and cause further problems in the body. Some of the most common causes of this are the use of H2 blocker type medications, gastrinomas, pyloric infections, etc. Sometimes temporary overload acidity may occur in our stomach due to intake of fried or acidic food, stress, etc.