Question

Trypsin is related to the digestion of
(a) Carbohydrates
(b) Proteins
(c) Fats
(d) None of the above

Answer 1

In the duodenum part of the small intestine digestion of most of the nutrients takes place with the help of pancreatic juice and bile juice. Trypsin is a pancreatic juice that forms by proenzyme trypsinogen and acts inside the duodenum.

Complete answer:
The pancreas is a digestive gland that helps in the digestion of food by the secretion of pancreatic juice which enters the duodenum part of the small intestine and helps in the digestion of starch, proteins, fats, and nucleic acids. The pancreatic juice consists of sodium bicarbonate, three proenzymes like trypsinogen, chymotrypsin, and procarboxypeptidase and enzymes lIke alpha-amylase, lipases, elastases, DNase, and RNase. Trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, and procarboxypeptidase enter in the inactive form in the duodenum which after activation with the help of enzymes is able to digest the protein. Trypsinogen is activated by enzyme enterokinase and forms proteolytic enzyme trypsin, later trypsin helps to activate chymotrypsinogen and procarboxypeptidase into chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase. Trypsin converts proteins into large peptides and chymotrypsin also convert protein into large peptides whereas carboxypeptidases convert large peptides into peptide and amino acids. The starch in the duodenum gets digested by alpha-amylase whereas the fats get digested by lipases.

Additional information:
The deficiency of trypsin in the body causes malabsorption of food which leads to a decrease in the ability like absorption of food nutrients and digestion. Malabsorption also causes cystic fibrosis and inflammation of the pancreas.

So, the correct answer is ‘Proteins’.

Note:
In carnivorous animals, trypsin can also hydrolyze fibrinogen of blood into fibrin which helps in blood coagulation. Trypsin works with pepsin and chymotrypsin to break down the protein into peptides or amino acids then it is considered as proteinases.