Digestive enzymes
- Most enzymes are initially secreted in the form of inactive precursors, which are activated after secretion into the trace.
- Carbohydrases: Hydrolyze the glycosidic linkage between sugar units. Eg: Malise on maltose, Sucrase on sucrose, Lactase on lactose and trehalase on trehalose respectively.
Enzymes |
Sources |
Substrate |
α-amylase |
Saliva |
Starch, glucose, dextrin |
Sucrase |
Small intestine |
Sucrose |
Maltase |
Small intestine |
Maltose |
Lactase |
Small intestine |
Lactose |
Trehalase |
Small intestine |
Trehalose |
Oligo-1,6 glycosidase |
Small intestine |
Dextrins |
- Proteolytic enzymes: Concerned with hydrolysis of the peptide linkage.
Enzyme |
Source |
Substrate |
Pepsin |
Gastric mucosa |
Protein and peptides |
Renin |
Gastric mucosa ( young calves) |
Protein and peptides |
Trypsin |
pancreas |
Protein and peptides |
Chymotrypsin |
pancreas |
Protein and peptides |
Carboxypeptidase |
pancreas |
Certain peptides |
Elastages |
pancreas |
Elastin and other protein |
Amino peptidase |
Small intestine |
Certain peptides |
Dipeptidase |
Small intestine |
Dipeptides |
- Lipolytic enzymes : Break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
Enzymes |
Sources |
Substrate |
Gastric lipase |
Gastric mucosa |
Fats and other organic esters |
Pancreatic lipase |
Pancreas |
Fats and other organic esters |