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Short-chain triglycerides found in foods are split by what type of specific enzymes?
ANSWER: Hi, The full name for the triglycerides is triacylglycerol. This molecule is composed of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids. Under the affect of pancreatic lipase, this molecule is split into glycerol and fatty acids. In this way, the organism can use these substances for energy or for constructive elements. Furthermore, these fatty acids are playing the role of second messengers in the organism, which means that they are participating in the conduction of the signal crated by hormones for example. A way of providing triglycerides to the organism is by food, but interesting here is that they may keep the same structure without getting segmented. They can be stored in the liver or in the muscles or in fat cells, and to be segmented when the organism needs energy. These molecules are included in the structure of the lipoproteins, which are transporting the cholesterol in the organism. When you have high amount of triglycerides in your organism, bad cholesterol or also called LDL, is not stable and it can be harmed easily. That leads to the development of atherosclerosis, which may cause your death. That is the reason why you have to check the amount of triglycerides in your blood because sometimes, the pancreatic lipase of yours can not split all the molecules. As a consequence, an elevation of triglycerides and more severe effects are observed. All the best! Dr.Alba |