Question

5. "Why do the enzymes digest the pancreas in pancreatitis?" asks Mr. Tran. "I thought the pancreas normally makes those enzymes all the time." Respond as if you are speaking directly to him.

Answer 1

The pancreas releases digestive enzymes in inactive forms to prevent self-digestion, which are then activated in the duodenum. Pancreatitis occurs when these enzymes are abnormally activated inside the pancreas itself, leading to the digestion of its tissue.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mr. Tran, you've highlighted a very important aspect of how our bodies process food. The pancreas indeed produces potent enzymes that are necessary for the digestion of food. However, these enzymes could be quite harmful if they were active within the pancreas itself. To prevent this self-digestion, the pancreas secretes these enzymes in their inactive forms. For instance, enzymes responsible for protein digestion, such as trypsin and chymotrypsin, are secreted as trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen, which are then activated in the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine.

Digestive enzymes like amylase, lipase, and nuclease that don't attack the pancreas are secreted in their active forms. The pancreas also releases pancreatic juice, rich in bicarbonate, which helps to neutralize the acidic chyme coming from the stomach into the small intestine, ensuring a conducive environment for these enzymes to function.