Gastrointestinal NCLEX Questions Related

Review Gastrointestinal NCLEX Questions related questions and content

What is the role of pepsin in digestion?

  • A. Digesting carbohydrates
  • B. Digesting fats
  • C. Digesting proteins
  • D. Digesting nucleic acids
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Digesting proteins. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme produced in the stomach that specifically breaks down proteins into smaller peptides. It works optimally in acidic environments, aiding in the digestion of proteins consumed in the diet. The other choices are incorrect because pepsin does not play a role in digesting carbohydrates (A), fats (B), or nucleic acids (D). Carbohydrates are primarily broken down by enzymes like amylase, fats by lipase, and nucleic acids by nucleases. Thus, pepsin's main function is to digest proteins in the stomach.