What is the role of trypsin in digestion?

Trypsin is a digestive enzyme produced in the pancreas. Its main role is to break down proteins into smaller peptides. In the process of digestion, proteins from food are broken down into amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins and are essential for various bodily functions.

Trypsin works in the small intestine, where it helps to hydrolyze peptide bonds between amino acids in proteins, converting them into shorter peptide chains and eventually into individual amino acids. This process is crucial for the absorption of nutrients by the intestines. Trypsin also activates other pancreatic enzymes involved in protein digestion, such as chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase, further aiding in the breakdown of proteins into absorbable units.

Overall, trypsin plays a vital role in the digestion and absorption of proteins, contributing to the body's ability to obtain essential amino acids from the diet.