enzyme

Examples of enzyme in the following topics:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

  • They prevent a particular enzyme from working in the body.
  • These enzymes are called cox 1 and cox 2 enzyme.
  • It is not selective and inhibit both enzymes, but vary at the levels it blocks the enzymes.
  • There are some NSAIDs that block the COX-2 enzyme more than the COX-1 enzyme, which prevents the cause of ulcers.
  • Depending on the NSAID, the inhibition of the COX enzymes varies.

• Pancreatic Juice

  • Pancreatic fluid contains digestive enzymes that help to further break down the carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the chyme.
  • These enzymes help to further break down the carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the chyme.
  • Pancreatic fluid or juice contains digestive enzymes that pass to the small intestine where they help to further break down the carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (fats) in the chyme.
  • This is useful in neutralizing the acidic gastric acid, allowing for effective enzymic action.
  • Because the pancreas is a sort of storage depot for digestive enzymes, injury to the pancreas is potentially fatal.

• Chemical Digestion of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic Acids

  • Chemical breakdown of macromolecules contained in food is completed by various enzymes produced in the digestive system.
  • These enzymes break down food proteins into polypeptides, which are then broken down by various exopeptidases and dipeptidases into amino acids.
  • The digestive enzymes, however, are secreted mainly as their inactive precursors, the zymogens.
  • Sucrase is an enzyme that breaks down disaccharide sucrose, commonly known as table sugar, cane sugar, or beet sugar.
  • Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down the disaccharide lactose into its component parts, glucose and galactose, which can also be absorbed by the small intestine.

• Digestive Processes of the Small Intestine

  • The small intestine uses different enzymes and processes to digest proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates.
  • Carboxypeptidase, a pancreatic brush border enzyme, splits one amino acid at a time.
  • Brush border enzymes take over from there.
  • The most important brush border enzymes are dextrinase and glucoamylase, which further break down oligosaccharides.
  • Other brush border enzymes are maltase, sucrase, and lactase.

• Pancreatitis

  • Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, occurs when the pancreatic enzymes that digest food are activated inside the pancreas.
  • Unexplained weight loss may occur from decreased amounts of pancreatic enzymes hindering digestion.
  • Mild pancreatitis treatment typically involves restriction of foods to avoid production of digestive enzymes, and administration of opiate-based painkillers.
  • Pancreatic enzymes may enter the blood stream and attack the lungs, causing inflammation.
  • Severe pancreatitis has high mortality rates, especially where the pancreatic enzymes have begun to kill off parts of the pancreas, causing tissue necrosis.

• Pancreas

  • As a digestive organ, the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist the absorption of nutrients and the digestion in the small intestine.
  • These enzymes help to further break down the carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the chyme.
  • The pancreas synthesizes its enzymes in the inactive form, known as zymogens, to avoid digesting itself.
  • The enzymes are activated once they reach the small intestine.
  • Once released in the intestine, the enzyme enterokinase, which is produced by the intestinal mucosa, activates trypsinogen by cleaving it to form trypsin.

• Galactosemia and Glycogen Storage Disease

  • Galactosemia follows an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance that confers a deficiency in an enzyme responsible for adequate galactose degradation.
  • Lactose in food (such as dairy products) is broken down by the enzyme lactase into glucose and galactose.
  • The enzyme is prone to damage if analysis of the sample is delayed or exposed to high temperatures.
  • Lactose intolerant individuals have an acquired or inherited shortage of the enzyme lactase, and experience abdominal pains after ingesting dairy products, but no long-term effects.
  • Genetic GSD is caused by any inborn error of metabolism (genetically defective enzymes) involved in these processes.

• Mechanisms of Chemical Digestion

  • Chemical digestion is the process of breakdown of large macronutrients into smaller molecules by enzyme-mediated hydrolysis.
  • The proteolytic enzymes are all secreted in an inactive form, to prevent auto-digestion, and are activated in the lumen of the gut: by HCl in the case of the stomach pepsinogen; by enteropeptidase and trypsin in the case of the pancreatic enzymes.
  • Final digestion takes place by small intestine enzymes embedded in the brush border of the small intestine.
  • The enzymes are divided into endo- and exo-peptidases.
  • RNA and DNA are hydrolized by pancreatic enzymes (ribonucleases, deoxyribonucleases) into nucleic acids, which are further broken down to purine and pyrimidine bases and pentoses by enzymes in the intestinal mucosa (nucleases).

• Absorption of Monosaccharides, Amino Acids, Dipeptides, Tripeptides, Lipids, Electrolytes, Vitamins, and Water

  • The lactase enzyme breaks down lactose, milk sugar.
  • Carboxypeptidase, which is a pancreatic brush border enzyme, splits one amino acid at a time.
  • Brush border enzymes take over from there.
  • The most important brush border enzymes are dextrinase and glucoamylase which further break down oligosaccharides.
  • Other brush border enzymes are maltase, sucrase, and lactase.

• Associated Organs

  • The enzymes and bile travel through special channels called ducts and into the small intestine where they help break down the food.
  • The exocrine function of the pancreas is essential for digestion as the produces many of the enzymes that break down protein, carbohydrates, and fats in digestible foods.
  • The pancreas synthesizes its enzymes in the inactive form, known as zymogens, to avoid digesting itself.
  • The enzymes are activated once they reach the small intestine.
  • Once released in the intestine, the enzyme enterokinase, which is produced by the intestinal mucosa, activates trypsinogen by cleaving it to form trypsin.