Anatomy and Physiology II Practice Test

What enzyme is produced in the small intestine and is responsible for digesting protein?

1. Amylase

2. Pepsidase

3. Lipase

4. Trypsin

The correct answer is: Pepsidase

The enzyme produced in the small intestine that is responsible for digesting protein is trypsin. Trypsin is a type of protease, which means it specifically breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids. It is secreted by the pancreas in an inactive form called trypsinogen and is activated in the small intestine. Once activated, trypsin performs essential roles in protein digestion in conjunction with other proteolytic enzymes. While peptidases do play a role in the further digestion of peptides into amino acids, they are often considered more specific enzymes that act on smaller peptide fragments, rather than being the primary enzyme responsible for protein digestion in the small intestine. This is why trypsin is seen as the correct answer in the context of protein digestion.