The liver and digestion
The The large organ, beside the stomach, which has many functions, including processing substances absorbed by the digestive system and a role in the storage of the body's carbohydrate. does not secrete any A protein which catalyses or speeds up a chemical reaction., but it plays an important role in The breakdown of large insoluble food molecules to smaller soluble ones., and then processing food A collection of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds. that have been When a substance is taken in by something or moved across a barrier such as a cell membrane, it is said to have been absorbed..
The liver produces A substance produced in the liver. It emulsifies fats to prepare them for digestion..
Bile:
- To mix water with fats and oils to produce a cloudy mixture called an emulsion.Fat or oils, composed of fatty acids and glycerol., breaking them up physically into tiny droplets. Tiny droplets have a much larger surface area, over which lipases can work, than larger pieces, or drops of lipid.
- Contains sodium hydrogencarbonate, which is an A base which is soluble in water.. It neutralises stomach acid and produces the The best or most appropriate - for instance, the conditions under which an enzyme works best (eg temperature and pH).Scale of acidity or alkalinity. A pH (power of hydrogen) value below 7 is acidic, a pH value above 7 is alkaline. for Large gland located in the abdomen near the stomach which produces digestive enzymes and the hormone insulin. enzymes.
- Is produced in the liver, but stored and concentrated in the Stores bile before releasing it into the duodenum..