Pepsin

Pepsin is a digestive enzyme produced in the stomach that aids in protein digestion. It is a protease, which is an enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids.

Pepsin is synthesized in the stomach’s chief cells as an inactive precursor called pepsinogen. When food enters the stomach and the pH rises, the acidic environment converts the inactive pepsinogen to its active form, pepsin. Pepsin works best when the pH of the stomach is around 2.0.

Pepsin is a digestive enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, which are the chemical bonds that hold amino acids together in proteins. Proteins are broken down into smaller peptides and amino acids, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream and used for a variety of biological functions.

Pepsin is especially effective at breaking down denatured proteins, which have had their three-dimensional structure disrupted. Denaturation can occur as a result of heat, acid, or mechanical agitation, and it can make proteins more vulnerable to pepsin digestion.