What Does the Pancreas Do?
Reviewed: Dr. Mera
2. Protease Enzymes
Although protein digestion starts in the stomach through an enzyme called pepsin, it is not essential for this purpose. Protein digestion continues in the small intestine with pancreatic enzymes called proteases.
The essential proteases secreted by the pancreas are trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, carboxypeptidases A and B. Finally, the digestion is completed by enzymes of the brush border of the small intestine called dipeptidases and aminopeptidases. The end product are amino acids (40%), dipeptides and tripeptides (60%).
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