Question

Where does protein digestion primarily begin, and which part of the digestive system initiates fat digestion?

a) Protein digestion starts in the small intestine, and fat digestion begins in the stomach.
b) Protein digestion starts in the mouth, and fat digestion begins in the esophagus.
c) Protein digestion starts in the stomach, and fat digestion begins in the small intestine.
d) Protein and fat digestion both start in the large inte

Answer 1

Protein digestion begins in the stomach with the help of HCl and pepsin, and is later completed in the small intestine by various enzymes. Fat digestion starts in the small intestine with bile and pancreatic lipase.

Step-by-step explanation:

Protein digestion primarily begins in the stomach, where hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the enzyme pepsin start breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides. This process is continued in the small intestine by pancreatic enzymes such as chymotrypsin and trypsin, along with brush border enzymes like aminopeptidase and dipeptidase, which further break down these chains into amino acids that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

In contrast, fat digestion initiates in the small intestine with the aid of bile and the enzyme pancreatic lipase, which emulsify and break down lipids into fatty acids and glycerol that can be absorbed by the intestinal villi.