Lipases: Digestion of Neutral Lipids; Physiological and Pathological Implications

Margit Hamosh, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Published online: September 2005

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0001395

Fat digestion is a complex process that starts in the stomach through the action of gastric lipase and continues in the intestine, where colipase-dependent pancreatic lipase and cholesterol ester lipase complete the process of triglyceride and cholesteryl ester hydrolysis, respectively. Bile salts and partial products of triglyceride hydrolysis are essential for the emulsification of these nonpolar lipids in the aqueous milieu of the intestinal lumen.

Keywords: gastric lipase; pancreatic lipases; colipase; milk lipase; newborns

Figure 1. Stereospecificity and products of fat hydrolysis. Sn-1, Sn-2 and Sn-3 are the three hydroxyl sites of the glycerol molecule to which fatty acids (R) are esterified in triglycerides. FFA: Free fatty acids.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Enzymes: Structure and Action Mechanism | Lipids: Structure, Function, Metabolism
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Article Title: Lipases: Digestion of Neutral Lipids; Physiological and Pathological Implications
 
How to Cite close
Hamosh, Margit(Sep 2005) Lipases: Digestion of Neutral Lipids; Physiological and Pathological Implications. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0001395]