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The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion (the tongue, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder). Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller components, until they can be absorbed and assimilated into the body.
Digestive enzymes take part in the chemical process of digestion, which follows the mechanical process of digestion. Food consists of macromolecules of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that need to be broken down chemically by digestive enzymes in the mouth , stomach , pancreas , and duodenum , before being able to be absorbed into the ...
Amylase is present in the saliva of humans and some other mammals, where it begins the chemical process of digestion. Foods that contain large amounts of starch but little sugar, such as rice and potatoes , may acquire a slightly sweet taste as they are chewed because amylase degrades some of their starch into sugar.
Lactose intolerance is the most common problem of carbohydrate digestion and occurs when the human body doesn't produce a sufficient amount of lactase enzyme to break down the sugar lactose found in dairy. As a result of this deficiency, undigested lactose is not absorbed and is instead passed on to the colon.
When the pancreas is unable to secrete digestive enzymes, such as with a pancreatic cancer occluding the pancreatic duct, result in jaundice. Pancreatic disease might be investigated using abdominal x-rays, MRCP or ERCP, CT scans, and through blood tests such as measurement of the amylase and lipase enzymes. [5]: 888–894
aids in the digestion of fats [1] pancreatic lipase: PNLIP: digestive juice: Human pancreatic lipase (HPL) is the main enzyme that breaks down dietary fats in the human digestive system. [5] To exhibit optimal enzyme activity in the gut lumen, PL requires another protein, colipase, which is also secreted by the pancreas. [18] lysosomal lipase: LIPA
A lysosome (/ ˈ l aɪ s ə ˌ s oʊ m /) is a single membrane-bound organelle found in many animal cells. [1] [2] They are spherical vesicles that contain hydrolytic enzymes that digest many kinds of biomolecules.
In chemical digestion, enzymes break down food into the small compounds that the body can use. In the human digestive system, food enters the mouth and mechanical digestion of the food starts by the action of mastication (chewing), a form of mechanical digestion, and the wetting contact of saliva. Saliva, a liquid secreted by the salivary ...