Digestion in mammals of: carbohydrates by amylases and membrane-bound disaccharidases; lipids by lipase including the action of bile salts; proteins by endopeptidases, exopeptidases and membrane-bound dipeptidases
Your body uses specific enzymes to break down food molecules into smaller pieces. Different enzymes target carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins in different parts of the digestive system.
Real World
Lactose intolerance affects roughly 65% of the global population because their intestinal cells produce insufficient lactase (a membrane-bound disaccharidase), so undigested lactose passes to the colon where bacteria ferment it, causing bloating and pain.
Exam Focus
Name the specific enzyme AND its location — marks are often awarded separately for 'where produced' versus 'what it digests'.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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