You are hiking in the mountains on a warm summer day. As you are walking up a st

Question

You are hiking in the mountains on a warm summer day. As you are walking up a steep incline, your leg muscles are working pretty hard. They need to produce a lot more ATP than usual in order to propel you upward. Your breathing becomes deeper and more rapid as you work to bring in more air. You also notice that you are getting warm and starting to sweat. You have water with you and decide to stop for a water and snack break. Your snack consists of a power bar that contains a good mix of carbs, proteins, and lipids - just what your body needs! As you sit and replenish your nutrients and water, you marvel at the beauty of your surrounds and feel a sense of appreciation that your body is healthy and able to adjust its activities to meet your ongoing needs. Answer the following questions based on this scenario:

1. Enzymes are essential for the digestion of food but those same enzymes could harm our own body structures because "we are what we eat"! Describe 2 ways that the body protects itself from autodigestion by its own enzymes.

Explanation / Answer

As food enters stomach, stomach releases enzymes and acids for the breakdown of protein in the food. Now, stomach protects itself from being digested by its own enzymes by secreting sticky, neutralising mucus that clings to the stomach walls.

When pancreatic enzymes become activated in the intestine, they convert proteins into free amino acids, which are easily absorbed by the cells of the intestinal wall. The pancreas also produce protein that inhibit trypsinwhich protects pancreas from autodigestion.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse Y
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.