Final answer:
Digestive enzymes are prevented from indiscriminate digestion within cells by being stored as inactive proenzymes, activated only under specific conditions, and protected by mechanisms such as a mucus layer in the small intestine and controlled by the cellular environment affecting enzyme activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
What prevents digestive enzymes from digesting anything and everything in the cell? The cell utilizes several mechanisms to control enzyme activity, ensuring they do not digest cellular components indiscriminately. One such mechanism involves the use of inactive proenzymes, such as pepsinogen in the stomach, which must be activated to become pepsin. These proenzymes are stored and released in a way that prevents the inappropriate digestion of the native proteins of the digestive organs themselves, and only become active in the correct environment, such as the acidic conditions of the stomach.
Additionally, the small intestine, a site of significant enzymatic activity, is protected by a thick mucus layer which safeguards the intestinal lining from the digestive action of active enzymes. The activation of digestive enzymes occurs in this safer location, away from the cells that produce them. This is achieved when the inactive enzymes reach the small intestine and encounter another enzyme that removes inhibitory segments, allowing them to function.
Cellular environments, such as pH and temperature, also partly control the activity of various enzymes, and the type and amount of enzymes vary based on cellular demands, which are different for stomach cells, fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. The concept of enzyme regulation is critical in metabolism control, ensuring that the right reactions happen at the right time and place, accordingly to the cell's needs and protection.