AAMC FL Practice Exam

What is the function of lipase in digestion?

1. Degrades proteins

2. Degrades triglycerides

3. Degrades carbohydrates

4. Degrades nucleic acids

The correct answer is: Degrades triglycerides

Lipase is an enzyme essential in the digestive process, specifically responsible for the breakdown of triglycerides, which are a type of fat. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids, making fats more accessible for absorption in the intestine. The breakdown of fats is crucial because, unlike carbohydrates and proteins, lipids are hydrophobic and require special processing to be utilized by the body. Lipase is secreted primarily by the pancreas and is active in the small intestine, where it plays a key role following the emulsification of fats by bile salts, which enhances the enzyme's efficiency. Understanding that lipase specifically targets triglycerides clarifies its unique role in digestion compared to other enzymes, which target different macromolecules. For instance, proteases would degrade proteins, amylases would degrade carbohydrates, and nucleases would act on nucleic acids. Thus, the specificity of lipase for triglycerides is what confirms the correctness of identifying its function as degrading this type of lipid.