Question

State the role of pancreatic juice in the digestion of proteins.

Answer 1

Hint: Within the small intestine three main digestive juices are secreted, which are bile juice, pancreatic juice, and intestinal juice. The pancreatic juice is secreted by the pancreas.

Complete answer:
The pancreatic juice contains enzymes that complement starch digestion called pancreatic amylase. Besides these, the pancreatic juice also contains some other enzymes, which complete the digestion of protein called trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase. Therefore pancreatic juice plays a crucial function in the digestion of proteins that are present in our food. The role of these enzymes in the digestion of proteins is mentioned below -
1. The enzyme trypsinogen is activated by the enzyme Enterokinase into trypsin. This enzyme is secreted into the mucosa of the intestines. Trypsin also stimulates the other pancreatic juice enzymes such as chymotrypsinogen and carboxypeptidase.
2. Chymotrypsinogen is an enzyme that coagulates with milk and transforms proteins into peptides.
3. Carboxypeptidase is an enzyme that operates on the carboxyl end of the peptide chain, helping to remove the last amino acid from the polypeptide chain, thus helping to digest proteins.

Additional Information: The enterokinase enzyme is secreted into the intestinal mucosa. It trypsinogenically transforms into trypsin. Enterokinase catalyzes the conversion of trypsinogen inactive to its active form, trypsin. Trypsin turns proteins and peptides into tiny peptides and amino acids. Amylase makes maltose from leftover starch. Steapsin catalyzes the conversion of emulsified fats into glycerol and fatty acids.

Note: It has digestive enzymes such as trypsin, enterokinase, steapsin, and amylase pancreatic which partially digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The pancreatic juice has a large amount of sodium bicarbonate which makes it alkaline and neutralizes the acid present in the chyme.