Overview Pancreatic enzymes pancreas secretes enzymes required for digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids carbohydrates pancreas secretes α-amylase in active form digests 1,4-glycosidic bonds of carbohydrates (starch) lipids lipase-colipase pancreas secretes (active) lipase hydrolyzes triglycerides → 1 monoglyceride + 2 fatty acids lipase is inactivated by bile salts pancreas secretes (inactive) procolipase in intestinal lumen, trypsin activates procolipase procolipase (inactive) → colipase (active) colipase displaces inhibitory bile salts permits digestive functions of lipase phospholipase A2 pancreas secretes (inactive) phospholipase A2 in intestinal lumen, trypsin activates phospholipase A2 hydrolyzes phospholipids → lysolecithin + fatty acids proteins pancreas secretes proteases in inactive forms called proenzymes/zymogens trypsinogen chymotrypsinogen proelastase procarboxypeptidase A/B activation of pancreatic proteases brush-border enterokinase/enteropeptidase activates trypsinogen trypsinogen (inactive) → trypsin (active) trypsin catalyzes conversion of inactive precursors to active enzymes trypsinogen → trypsin (positive feedback loop) chymotrypsinogen → chymotrypsin proelastase → elastase procarboxypeptidase A/B →carboxypeptidase A/B pancreatic proteases hydrolyze dietary protein to absorbable molecules amino acids, dipeptides, tripeptides