Question

What is the role of HCL in our stomach?

Answer 1

Hint: In the stomach, gastric juice is secreted, and it is considered as stomach acid, and the HCL, ( hydrochloric acid) is one of the constitute of gastric juice, and because of its acidic nature of HCL in juice the PH lowers to 1.5, which is helpful for the stomach for proper food digestion.

Complete answer:
- In the stomach, gastric juice is made up of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and some other substances.
- Different parts of the stomach have various secretions, and in the fundus region, glands are present, these glands secrete, gastric juice, this gastric is a mixture of many substances.
- In the glands, some cells are called parietal cells, they secrete HCL and intrinsic factor.
- HCL has so many functions, while intrinsic factor helps in the absorption of vitamin B12.
- Hydrochloric acid plays an important role in absorbing nutrients.
- HCl is also helpful to break up the complex food structures in the stomach and helps in the process of digestion.
- At the same time, they also split up the proteins of the enzymes of gastric juice in order to activate them.
- Along with the function of digestion of food in the stomach, it also helps to kill the bacteria and other harmful foreign particles in the food.
- In gastric juice, it especially activates the Pepsin and is also helpful for the absorption of some minerals in the food from the stomach.
- In the case of any complex food like meat, it breaks down the connective tissue of the meat and helps in digestion and at the same time, any undigested bacteria are also killed.
- The concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is 0.5% or 5000 parts per million.
- Hydrochloric acid provides the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes.
- When coming to other options, sertoli cells secretes androgen binding proteins, alpha cells secretes glucagon in pancreas, and leukocytes are defense cells, and one type of white blood cells.

Note: In the fundus of the stomach, other than parietal cells, there are some types of cells which are mucous cells, helps the stomach for HCL acidic nature by forming thick mucin, G cells which secretes gastrin, and the chief cells, they secretes Pepsin.