Question

How would it affect the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates in the duodenum of a man if there is a blockade in the pancreatic duct? Explain.

Answer 1

Duodenum is the first part of the small intestine that is located between the stomach and the jejunum (part of small intestine). It is the place where the actual digestion of the nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats takes place.

Complete Answer:
Digestion is the process of breakdown of complex macromolecules into the simple form that are water soluble and get easily absorbed by the body. In the process of digestion, complex macromolecules of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (that are obtained from food) get converted into its simple absorbable form.
There are several parts of the alimentary tract involved in the process of digestion. These are:
- Mouth: It is the site mainly for the breakdown of starch into maltose in the presence of enzyme salivary amylase at pH 6.8
- Stomach: food is passed into the stomach via the esophagus where an acidic environment is present of pH 1.8 (due to the presence of HCl). This acidic pH is responsible for the breakdown of proteins into peptones and proteoses by the help of enzyme pepsin. Here the food is remaining for 4-5 hours.
- Small intestine: It comprises 3 parts i.e. duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Here the digested food is passed for their further digestion by the help of intestinal enzymes present in the juice called as succus entericus. Apart from the intestinal juice, bile juice and pancreatic juices are also present that are also responsible for the breakdown of the molecules into its absorbable form. It is the place that principally acts as an absorption organ of nutrients.
- Large intestine: it is the site where the absorption of the molecules takes place with some amount of drugs and minerals. It is the place where maximum absorption has been done and the rest by product is eliminated that is unabsorbable.

If the pancreatic duct gets blocked then the pancreatic juice does not reach to the duodenum where the food as a chyme is present for further breakdown. Generally pancreatic juice contain trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, procarboxypeptidase, lipases, amylases and nucleases that act on proteins, fats, carbohydrate, nucleic acid respectively to convert it into dipeptides, monoglyceride, disaccharide and nucleotide and nucleoside. Thus, the further digestion also stops.

Note: Besides secreting pancreatic juice, pancreatic duct also secretes some amount of bicarbonates that is responsible for maintaining the alkaline environment in the intestine because all the pancreatic and intestinal enzyme work on the alkaline pH.