Question

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a condition characterized by lack of the exocrine pancreatic enzymes, resulting in the failure to digest food properly (especially fats). A healthy diet is important for everyone, but especially for people with EPI. One treatment called pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, or PERT, replaces the digestive enzyme that your pancreas isn’t producing anymore. What function does PERT replace?

A. It serves as a reactant and is consumed in the reaction.

B. It serves as a product and lowers the activation energy.

C. It serves as a biological catalyst and lowers the activation energy.

D. It serves as a waste product and raises the activation energy.

Answer 1

Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) serves as a biological catalyst and lowers the activation energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Enzymes act as biological catalysts that allow a reaction to occur faster and with less activation energy. An enzyme replacement therapy, such as PERT used in the case of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, is able to supply the function of an enzyme that the body does not produce.

The exocrine pancreas produces digestive enzymes, such as amylase and lipase, which aid in the digestion of carbohydrates and lipids. In the absence of enzyme production by the pancreas, PERT provides the necessary enzymes for digestion.