What happen to the pepsin that enters small intestine?
The pepsin that enters the small intestine is inactivated by the alkaline pH of the small intestine. Pepsin is an acidic protease that functions optimally in the acidic environment of the stomach. When it enters the small intestine, which has a pH of around 8, it loses its activity and is no longer able to break down proteins. The pancreas also secretes bicarbonate ions into the small intestine, which further helps to neutralize the acidic chyme and create an environment that is more suitable for the other digestive enzymes, such as pancreatic proteases and lipases.
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