Salivary Amylase — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: C — Salivary amylase
Salivary amylase is the correct answer. It is an α-amylase secreted principally by the serous acinar cells of the major salivary glands and initiates starch digestion during mastication by hydrolysing internal α-1,4 glycosidic bonds, producing smaller carbohydrates such as maltose and dextrins. Its activity may continue briefly after swallowing until falling gastric pH inhibits it. Lingual lipase initiates triglyceride digestion rather than carbohydrate digestion. Lysozyme and lactoperoxidase contribute mainly to antimicrobial defence in saliva. Kallikrein is a protease involved in generating kinins and is not responsible for starch digestion.
Reference: Peyrot des Gachons C, Breslin PAS. Salivary Amylase: Digestion and Metabolic Syndrome. Current Diabetes Reports. 2016;16:102. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27640169/