IGCSE Biology 0610

7.4 Chemical Digestion

  • Chemical digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble molecules into small soluble molecules that can be absorbed

Enzymes and Digestion

  • Amylase breaks down starch into simple reducing sugars
    Found in saliva, produced in pancreas and secreted into duodenum
  • Protease breaks down protein into amino acids
    Found in gastric juice of stomach, produced in pancreas and secreted into duodenum
  • Lipase breaks down fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol
    Produced in pancreas and secreted into duodenum

The breakdown of starch:

  • Amylase breaks down starch into maltose in saliva, from pancreas
  • Maltase breaks down maltose into glucose at the membranes of the epithelium lining the small intestine

The breakdown of protein:

  • Pepsin breaks down protein in acidic stomach
  • Trypsin breaks down protein in alkaline small intestine

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