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Their secretion is mucinous and high in viscosity. Mixed glands: These glands have both serous cells and mucous cells, and include sublingual and submandibular glands.A great example of a serous oral gland is the parotid gland. Serous glands: These glands produce a secretion rich in water, electrolytes, and enzymes.Of note is the diversity of the salivary glands. bacteria or viruses, the lysozyme offers a limited and non-specific, yet beneficial antiseptic function in digestion. Lysozyme: Considering that food contains more than just essential nutrients, e.g.Amylase, produced by the salivary glands, breaks complex carbohydrates, mainly cooked starch, to smaller chains, or even simple sugars.

Salivary amylase: Carbohydrate digestion also initiates in the mouth.Lingual lipase starts the digestion of the lipids/fats. Lingual lipase: Lipid digestion initiates in the mouth.In the oral cavity, salivary glands secrete an array of enzymes and substances that aid in digestion and also disinfection. Secretory glands in the small intestineĬomplex food substances that are taken by animals and humans must be broken down into simple, soluble, and diffusible substances before they can be absorbed.Secretory cells (islets) in the pancreas.Digestive enzymes are secreted by different exocrine glands including: In the human digestive system, the main sites of digestion are the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. Nucleases split nucleic acids into nucleotides.ĭiagram of the digestive enzymes in the small intestine and pancreas.Amylases split carbohydrates such as starch and sugars into simple sugars such as glucose.Proteases and peptidases split proteins into small peptides and amino acids.Lipases split fatty acids into fats and oils.Digestive enzymes of diverse specificities are found in the saliva secreted by the salivary glands, in the secretions of cells lining the stomach, in the pancreatic juice secreted by pancreatic exocrine cells, and in the secretions of cells lining the small and large intestines.ĭigestive enzymes are classified based on their target substrates: Digestive enzymes are found in the digestive tracts of animals (including humans) and in the tracts of carnivorous plants, where they aid in the digestion of food, as well as inside cells, especially in their lysosomes, where they function to maintain cellular survival. JSTOR ( December 2016) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)ĭigestive enzymes are a group of enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules into their smaller building blocks, in order to facilitate their absorption into the cells of the body.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
