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Question
What would happen if HCl were not secreted in the stomach?
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Solution 1
Hydrochloric acid is secreted by the glands present on the stomach walls. It dissolves bits of food and creates an acidic medium. The acidic medium allows pepsinogen to be converted into pepsin. Pepsin plays an important role in the digestion of proteins. Therefore, if HCl were not secreted in the stomach, then pepsin would not be activated. This would affect protein digestion. A pH of about 1.8 is necessary for proteins to be digested. This pH is achieved by HCl.
Solution 2
HCl is secreted by parietal or oxyntic cells of gastric glands. It serves the following functions:
- It activates the pepsinogen and prorennin into their active form pepsin and rennin.
- It provides the acidic pH (pH 1.8) optimal for pepsin.
- It kills the harmful bacteria present in the food.
- It stops the action of saliva on food. Pepsin and rennin are the principle proteolytic enzymes of stomach. If these enzymes are not activated by HCl then digestion of protein will not take place in stomach, and also the harmful bacteria can cause various diseases.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Choose the correct answer among the following:
Gastric juice contains
(i) pepsin, lipase and rennin
(ii) trypsin lipase and rennin
(iii) trypsin, pepsin and lipase
(iv) trypsin, pepsin and renin
Choose the correct answer among the following:
Succus entericus is the name given to
(i) a junction between ileum and large intestine
(ii) intestinal juice
(iii) swelling in the gut
(iv) appendix
Match column I with column II
| Column I | Column II | ||
| a | Bilirubin and biliverdin | 1 | Parotid |
| b | Hydrolysis of starch | 2 | Bile |
| c | Digestion of fat | 3 | Lipases |
| d | Salivary gland | 4 | Amylases |
Describe the process of digestion of protein in stomach.
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Describe the digestive role of chymotrypsin. What two other digestive enzymes of the same category are secreted by its source gland?
How are polysaccharides and disaccharides digested?
Which of the following sphincter controls the passage of food into the stomach?
Emulsification of fats is brought about by ______.
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Name the enzymes involved in the breakdown of nucleotides into sugars and bases?
Correct the following statement by deleting one of entries (given in bold).
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Correct the following statement by deleting one of entries (given in bold).
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Correct the following statement by deleting one of entries (given in bold).
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Name the part of the alimentary canal where major absorption of digested food takes place. What are the absorbed forms of different kinds of food materials?
How is the intestinal mucosa protected from the acidic food entering from stomach?
