Juices that finish the job
Pancreatic juice and intestinal juice.
Big molecules to small
Proteins, starch and fats are big, complex molecules. The body can absorb only small ones.
How do you think the last pieces of the digestion are made?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Pancreatic juice contains trypsin for digesting proteins and lipase for emulsified fats; enzymes of intestinal juice finally convert proteins to amino acids, complex carbohydrates to glucose, and fats to fatty acids and glycerol.
Big molecules to small
Proteins, starch and fats are big, complex molecules. The body can absorb only small ones.
How do you think the last pieces of the digestion are made?
- By enzymes in juices
- By teeth
- By the tongue
Which juice?
Sort each statement: pancreatic juice or intestinal juice?
Two juices, one goal
The pancreas sends pancreatic juice into the small intestine. It has trypsin for proteins and lipase for emulsified fats. The walls of the small intestine also have glands that make intestinal juice. Its enzymes finish the job: proteins become amino acids, complex carbohydrates become glucose, and fats become fatty acids and glycerol.
Pancreatic juice contains trypsin for digesting proteins and lipase for emulsified fats; enzymes of intestinal juice finally convert proteins to amino acids, complex carbohydrates to glucose, and fats to fatty acids and glycerol.
Notes
Pancreatic juice: trypsin (proteins) and lipase (emulsified fats). Intestinal juice finally gives amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids and glycerol.
Check yourself
Which enzyme in pancreatic juice digests proteins?
Proteins are finally converted into ...
Complex carbohydrates are finally converted into ...
Fats are finally converted into ...
- Lipase. Lipase in pancreatic juice breaks down emulsified fats.
- Pepsin. Pepsin is the protein-digesting enzyme of the gastric glands in the stomach.
- Trypsin — correct. Yes!
- amino acids — correct. Yes!
- glucose. Glucose is the final product of complex carbohydrates.
- fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids and glycerol are the final products of fats.
- amino acids. Amino acids are the final products of proteins.
- glucose — correct. Yes!
- glycerol. Glycerol, with fatty acids, comes from the final digestion of fats.
- amino acids and glucose. Amino acids come from proteins and glucose from complex carbohydrates.
- emulsified globules. Emulsified fats are the smaller globules made by bile salts. The enzymes then convert fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
- fatty acids and glycerol — correct. Yes!