ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Protein digestion begins when you first start chewing. There are two enzymes in your saliva called amylase and lipase. They mostly break down carbohydrates and fats. Once a protein source reaches your stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes called proteases break it down into smaller chains of amino acids.

Detailed explanation-2: -The digestion of protein starts in the stomach, where HCl and pepsin break proteins into smaller polypeptides, which then travel to the small intestine (Figure 3).

Detailed explanation-3: -The stomach releases gastric juices containing hydrochloric acid and pepsin (an enzyme) which initiate the chemical breakdown of protein. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach begins protein digestion by denaturing the protein; denaturation results in the loss of the protein’s function.

Detailed explanation-4: -Pepsin is a stomach enzyme that serves to digest proteins found in ingested food. Gastric chief cells secrete pepsin as an inactive zymogen called pepsinogen.