Digestive system Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Digestive system - Lab Report Example inactive form to active form: for instance pepsinogen (inactive form) to pepsin (active form); mucus helps to protect the stomach walls from corrosive effect of HCL. 3. Enzyme lactase helps in breakdown of lactose to simple sugars galactose and glucose; it does this by a process called hydrolysation whereby a molecule of water is released. Whole milk contains lactose this was broken down by enzyme lactase to galactose and glucose which led to increase of glucose concentration with time as more glucose was being released. Lactose-free milk stayed the same because it lacked lactose and lactase enzyme digests lactose only. 4. The pancreas is an organ that secretes pancreatic juice, a major digestive secretion. Alkaline pancreatic secretions help in neutralization of the acid chyme (food) from the stomach to a neutral or slightly alkaline pH; this is important because most pancreatic enzymes work best at slightly alkaline or neutral PH, excess acidic PH can also damage duodenal mucosa and cause ulcers. Pancreatic juice also contains enzymes, namely trypsin and chymotrypsin which digest proteins, lipase digests lipids to 3 fatty acids and glycerol and amylase for digestion of carbohydrates. 5. Gall bladder has three functions that are storage, concentration, and secretion of bile. Bile salts are important for emulsification of fats: the fats are broken into small droplets, and this increases surface area for more lipases to breakdown the fats to easily absorbable forms. Bile salts are alkaline; they neutralize the HCl in the chyme as it moves to the duodenum. Liver is associated with gall bladder function because it produces bile juice. 6. Chemical digestion and nutrient absorption in small intestines are dependent on each other digestive enzymes, and bile break food substances to absorbable materials which are absorbed into the blood systems through the walls of small intestines by either of these 3 processes - active transport, osmosis and diffusion, and in all