| Enzymes | |||||
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Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts - they are required in order to cause some type of reaction. Enzymes are made up of long chains of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds.
Enzymes perform a vital function by controlling the metabolic processes whereby nutrients are converted into energy and fresh cell material. Enzymes also are the catalyst that help to break down food ingested into its simplest form.
Some examples of enzymes:
- amylase - an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates as soon as they are eaten
- pepsinogen - an enzyme in the stomach that activates pepsin
- gastric lipase - an enzyme in the stomach that has a minor action on digesting fats
- Enzyme activity is affected by: temperature, blood and tissue pH, chemical environment
- Enzymes are quite specific about which reactions they act as catalyst
- Many drugs and poisons inhibit enzymes from carrying out their normal activity
Cells use enzymes to grow, reproduce and create energy, and they often remove enzymes out of their cell walls too.
Enzymes allow the cells to carry out all the necessary chemical reactions inside them. Without the enzymes, cells would not survive long.
references
- Osiecki, Henry, The Nutrient Bible 2002, BioConcepts Publishing
- Osiecki, Henry. The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 6th edition, 2001, BioConcepts Publishing
- Rolfes SR, Pinna K, Whitney E. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, 2005. Brooks Cole Publishing
- Tortora GJ, Derrickson BH. Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 11th edition, 2005. Wiley Publishing
To learn more, go to the following web sites
- University of Sydney (Australia)
