Liver and Pancreas Functions · Physiology

Which enzyme, located on the brush border of the small intestine, is the essential 'trigger' for activating the pancreatic proteolytic cascade?

  1. Trypsin from the pancreas
  2. Chymotrypsin from acinar cells
  3. Enteropeptidase (enterokinase)
  4. Carboxypeptidase A
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Correct answer: Enteropeptidase (enterokinase)

Enteropeptidase converts inactive trypsinogen into active trypsin. Once trypsin is formed, it autocatalytically activates more trypsinogen and other proenzymes like chymotrypsinogen and procarboxypeptidase.

Difficulty: Medium Question 24 of 40

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