Erepsin
Encyclopedia
Erepsin is an enzyme
that digests
peptones into amino acids. It is grouped under exopeptidase
s. They work only on the outside peptide bond
s of a peptone. Its optimum pH
is around pH 8. It is produced by the intestinal glands in the ileum
and are found in the intestinal juice
s. Also produced by the pancreas
.
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
that digests
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
peptones into amino acids. It is grouped under exopeptidase
Exopeptidase
An exopeptidase is an enzyme produced in the pancreas that catalyses the removal of an amino acid from the end of a polypeptide chain. Exopeptidase cleaves the end of a polypeptide chain....
s. They work only on the outside peptide bond
Peptide bond
This article is about the peptide link found within biological molecules, such as proteins. A similar article for synthetic molecules is being created...
s of a peptone. Its optimum pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
is around pH 8. It is produced by the intestinal glands in the ileum
Ileum
The ileum is the final section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms posterior intestine or distal intestine may be used instead of ileum.The ileum follows the duodenum...
and are found in the intestinal juice
Intestinal juice
Intestinal juice refers to the clear to pale yellow watery secretions from the glands lining the small intestine walls. Secretion is stimulated by the mechanical pressure of partly digested food in the intestine....
s. Also produced by the pancreas
Pancreas
The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist...
.