Introduction
The pancreas produces a whole range of different enzymes for the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and passes them on to the duodenum. You can find detailed information about the pancreas here: Pancreas – anatomy and diseases
Which enzymes does the pancreas produce?
The first group of enzymes are the protein-cleaving enzymes, also called proteases. These include: The whole group of enzymes breaks down proteins from food into their smallest components, the amino acids. Some enzymes cut off pieces at the end of the amino acid chains, other enzymes cut off in the middle of the chain between the amino acids.
The second group of pancreatic enzymes are carbohydrate splitting enzymes. These enzymes include the These cut long chains of carbohydrate, such as in bread or pasta, into small sugar molecules so that they can be absorbed into the body. The last group refers to the fat-splitting enzymes, to which pancreatic lipase belongs.
These three groups of enzymes thus cover all three main food components fats, carbohydrates and proteins and are absolutely necessary for digestion. In addition to enzymes, the pancreas also produces hormones, such as insulin and glucagon, but these are released into the blood rather than into the intestines. – Trypsinogen
- Chymotrypsinogen
- And elastase. – Alpha-amylase
- And the ribonuclease.
Carbohydrate splitter
One of the pancreatic enzymes is alpha-amylase. Alpha-amylases are enzymes that break down a specific bond in starch and thus break down carbohydrates into small polysaccharides or disaccharides. The alpha-amylase is an endoamylase.
It can cut like scissors in the middle of the molecule chain and not just cut off pieces from the end. This has the advantage that unassailable bonds in branched sugar chains can be easily circumvented. This is also the main difference to beta-amylases, which can only cut at the ends of the chains.
Amylases are produced both in the oral salivary glands and in the pancreas. The short sugar chains produced by the amylase can be absorbed by the small intestine and used by the body, whereas long sugar chains cannot be used. Alpha-amylase shows its highest activity at a pH value in the neutral to alkaline range (pH > 7).
An increase in alpha-amylases in the blood is a laboratory parameter that serves as a warning sign of pancreatitis. Glucosidase is a superordinate name that designates all enzymes responsible for breaking down sugar chains into individual sugar molecules. In humans, these enzymes are located particularly at the intestinal mucosa. Glucosidase inhibitors can be used as blood sugar-lowering drugs in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Grease splitter
After the lipase is released into the duodenum, it breaks down triacylglycerides from food. From the triacylglycerols the lipase turns into individual fatty acids and glycerol. These individual parts can be absorbed and utilised by the intestine.
The lipase is inactive without help and needs auxiliary enzymes and calcium to break down the fats. The auxiliary enzymes are also produced by the pancreas and activated in the intestine. A significant increase in serum lipase, i.e. the lipase in the blood, is a marker for pancreatitis.
This might also be of interest to you: The laboratory value should always be determined when pancreatitis is suspected, chronic pancreatitis is present or upper abdominal pain is present. Serum lipase may also increase in other diseases, such as duodenal ulcer, intestinal obstruction or certain infectious diseases. However, this increase is not as extreme as in acute pancreatitis.
In this case, the values can rise to eighty times the normal value. – Lipase
- Lipase increased
Phospholipases are also among the fat-splitting enzymes. They separate fatty acids from phospholipids.
Phospholipids are complex fats which form an important component of cell membranes. Phospholipase A separates the fatty acid residues from carbon atoms one and two. Phospholipase B is able to split so-called ester bonds.
Besides the phospholipases A and B there are also phospholipases C and D, but these belong to a separate subgroup. Cholesterol esterase is a hydrolytic (water-soluble) enzyme which uses water to split the ester bond between the carboxy group of an organic acid and the OH group of a choline. An important example of this enzyme class is acetylcholinesterase.
It splits the messenger acetylcholine into its components and recycles it in the nerve cells. Cholinesterases are mainly produced in the liver and are therefore also a signal for liver damage. They are suitable for long-term control in existing liver diseases.
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