Mechanism of Lipase

Enzymes

• Enzymes are proteins that have the special role of increasing the rates of chemical reactions. This is an essential function in the body because many reactions that need to take place to sustain all the physiological processes would otherwise, in the absence of enzymes, take place too slowly or not take place at all. Enzymes are very specific for the types of molecules they interact with and the reactions they catalyze. Numerous enzyme molecules are encoded by the genome.

Lipids

• Lipids are a class of molecules with very important physiological functions. Common substances such as butter, oils and waxes belong to this group, as do other molecules such as cholesterol and vitamins D and E. In addition to their role in energy storage, lipids also are crucial components of cell membranes and play important roles as messengers inside the cell. The body synthesizes and degrades lipids, but there are certain fatty acids that must be obtained through the diet because they cannot be made by the body.

Lipase Enzymes

• Lipase enzymes are a class of diverse enzymes that work to degrade various lipids. The human body produces several different lipases, with some working in the gastrointestinal system and some found in other locations. The pancreas is a major producer of lipase enzymes which work on lipids that have been ingested and are being processed by the digestive system. Inside cells, membrane-bound organelles known as lysosomes also produce lipase that digests the lipids that are part of the waste products and debris that the lysosome has taken up.

Lipase Mechanism

• The lipids that are commonly ingested as part of a normal diet, such as various oils and fats, are composed, in large part, of a mixture of triglycerides. Triglycerides are synthesized from glycerol, an alcohol, and three fatty acid molecules, and the bonds between the alcohol and fatty acid components are known as ester bonds. Lipases act at this ester bond, which joins a hydroxyl group of the glycerol molecule to the carboxyl group of the fatty acid. When the bond is broken, free fatty acid molecules are released.