Examples of Digestive Enzymes - Amylases
Biology: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 7.4.2
Amylase
Carbohydrases break carbohydrates down into sugars. Amylase is a type of carbohydrase that breaks down starch in our bodies:
Production
- Amylase is produced in:
- Small intestine
- Pancreas
- Salivary glands
Purpose
- Amylase breaks down starch into its constituent simple sugars (predominantly maltose).
- Starch → Maltose (+ other sugars).
Action sites
- The sites of action (where it breaks down starch) of amylase are:
- The small intestine
- The mouth
Maltase
- After starch has been broken down into maltose, an enzyme called maltase breaks down maltose into a smaller sugar, glucose.
- This happens on the epithelial lining of the small intestine, so that glucose can pass through the membrane straight into the bloodstream.
Test yourself on Examples of Digestive Enzymes - Amylases
Which of these are true of maltase?