Bile is not an enzyme, but it's crucial for fat digestion:
- Produced by: Liver
- Stored in: Gall bladder
- Released into: Small intestine (duodenum)
- Function 1: Emulsifies fats (breaks large fat droplets into smaller ones)
- Function 2: Neutralizes stomach acid (creates alkaline conditions for pancreatic enzymes)
- Why emulsification helps: Increases surface area for lipase to work on
- pH change: From acidic (stomach pH 2) to alkaline (small intestine pH 8.5)
This key facts covers Bile: The Enzyme Helper within Enzymes in Digestion for GCSE Biology. Enzyme structure and function, digestive enzymes, factors affecting enzyme activity, lock and key model, and practical investigations It is section 6 of 19 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Enzymes in Digestion
What are enzymes?
Explain the effect of increasing temperature on enzyme activity.
Quick recall flashcards
What does lipase do?
Breaks down lipids (fats) into fatty acids and glycerol. Produced by pancreas, works in small intestine.
What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy. Enzymes are proteins with specific 3D shapes.