Questions: Cholecystokinin acts on the pancreas, which releases the protease enzymes

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a hormone that plays a crucial role in digestion. It is released by the small intestine in response to the presence of fats and proteins in the chyme that enters from the stomach. One of the primary actions of CCK is to stimulate the pancreas to release digestive enzymes, including proteases.

Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, which can then be absorbed by the body. The pancreas releases several proteases, including trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, and procarboxypeptidase, which are secreted in their inactive forms. Once they reach the small intestine, they are activated to trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase, respectively, to perform their digestive functions.

In summary, cholecystokinin acts on the pancreas to stimulate the release of protease enzymes, which are essential for protein digestion in the small intestine.