Why pepsin is suited to digestion on the stomach

This is because stomach acid is secreted into the stomach in response to the expansion of the stomach wall. During this time a considerable amount of digestive work can be accomplished if plant enzymes, either indigenous to the raw food ingested or from a supplemental source, are present.

Unfortunately, the amount of time necessary to make stomach acid increases with age. Studies have proven that older adults often suffer from inadequate stomach acid levels. There is a common misconception that enzymes are destroyed by stomach acid. Nothing could be further from the truth. Stomach acid does not digest protein. Rather, it activates an enzyme called pepsinogen which then becomes pepsin that is secreted by the stomach wall.

This enzyme is only active within the pH range of 3. Saliva is slightly alkaline. Enzymes in saliva convert starch into glucose:. The stomach produces hydrochloric acid. It kills many harmful microorganisms that might have been swallowed along with the food. The enzymes in the stomach work best in acidic conditions — at a low pH. The lacteals transport the fatty acids and glycerol to the lymphatic system for filtering. The fatty acids and glycerol are combined with the blood as lymph joins blood at the right and left subclavian veins.

The large intestine is mainly responsible for storing waste, reclaiming water, maintaining the water balance, and absorbing some vitamins, such as vitamin K. The large intestine is divided into the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal. The gastrointestinal system breaks down particles of ingested food into molecular forms by enzymes through digestion and then transferred to the internal environment by absorption.

Find out more about these processes carried out by the gastrointestinal system through this tutorial Read More. Genes are the blueprint of our bodies, a blueprint that creates a variety of proteins essential to any organism's survival. Find out in this lesson the various factors that affect growth. Organisms employ different strategies to boost its defenses against antigens.

Humans have an immune system to combat pathogens. Read this tutorial to learn the first and second lines of defense that the human body employs. It only takes one biological cell to create an organism.

A single cell is able to keep itself functional through its 'miniature machines' known as organelles. Read this tutorial to become familiar with the different cell structures and their functions This tutorial deals with the structure and function of flowers, fruits, and seeds.

Also included here are the types of fruits, fruit dispersal mechanisms, and seed germination. The distinctions between dicots and monocots, the two major groups of flowering plants, are presented in this tutorial Learn about the general structure of a eukaryotic gene, the transcription factors, and post-transcriptional regulation Cell Biology. Skip to content Main Navigation Search.

Dictionary Articles Tutorials Biology Forum. Table of Contents. Digestion and Absorption of Food The gastrointestinal system breaks down particles of ingested food into molecular forms by enzymes through digestion and then transferred to the internal environment by absorption. Genetic Control — On and Off Genes Genes are the blueprint of our bodies, a blueprint that creates a variety of proteins essential to any organism's survival.

Biological Cell Defense Organisms employ different strategies to boost its defenses against antigens. Biological Cell Introduction It only takes one biological cell to create an organism. Fruits, Flowers, and Seeds This tutorial deals with the structure and function of flowers, fruits, and seeds.