Final answer:
Amylases are enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of starch and glycogen into glucose. In the mouth, salivary amylase begins digestion, which is continued in the small intestine by pancreatic amylase with the aid of maltase. Glycogen phosphorylase plays a key role in the digestion of glycogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzymes responsible for the breakdown of starch and glycogen into glucose are a group known as amylases. These enzymes start their work in the mouth, where the digestion of carbohydrates begins with the salivary amylase acting on starch, breaking it down into shorter polysaccharides and the disaccharide maltose. As the digestion continues into the small intestine, pancreatic amylase takes over the task, further reducing starch into smaller fragments such as dextrins and ultimately into maltose, which is then hydrolyzed into glucose by the enzyme maltase. On the other hand, the breakdown of glycogen, which is a more complex and highly branched polysaccharide, involves an additional enzyme named glycogen phosphorylase. This enzyme targets the α-1→4 glycosidic linkages in glycogen and releases glucose units sequentially.
Furthermore, the end process of converting maltose into glucose is facilitated by maltase. The complete digestion of carbohydrates ensures that glucose is readily available for absorption in the small intestine. It is important to note that other disaccharides like sucrose and lactose are broken down by their respective enzymes, sucrase and lactase.