Which enzyme is primarily involved in fat digestion?

Which enzyme is primarily involved in fat digestion?

• A. Nuclease
• B. Amylase
• C. Pepsin
• D. Lipase

Answer: (D)

Fat digestion hinges on lipase. This enzyme hydrolyzes triglycerides, the main fats in our diet, into fatty acids and monoglycerides so they can be absorbed. The bulk of this work happens in the small intestine with pancreatic lipase, which works best after fats are emulsified by bile to create more surface area for digestion. A little lipase is present in the stomach, but it’s the pancreatic lipase in the small intestine that does most of the job. Other enzymes mentioned digests different macromolecules: nucleases break down nucleic acids, amylase breaks down starches, and pepsin targets proteins in the stomach.

Fat digestion hinges on lipase. This enzyme hydrolyzes triglycerides, the main fats in our diet, into fatty acids and monoglycerides so they can be absorbed. The bulk of this work happens in the small intestine with pancreatic lipase, which works best after fats are emulsified by bile to create more surface area for digestion. A little lipase is present in the stomach, but it’s the pancreatic lipase in the small intestine that does most of the job. Other enzymes mentioned digests different macromolecules: nucleases break down nucleic acids, amylase breaks down starches, and pepsin targets proteins in the stomach.