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What does pancreatic lipase leave behind after acting on one triglyceride?
AThree free fatty acids and free glycerol
BTwo free fatty acids and a monoglyceride
COne free fatty acid and a diglyceride
DTwo free fatty acids and free glycerol
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Two free fatty acids and a monoglyceride
1. A triglyceride is a glycerol molecule carrying three fatty acid chains.
2. Pancreatic lipase does not strip all three chains off in one go.
3. It breaks each triglyceride into two free fatty acids and a monoglyceride.
4. The monoglyceride keeps the glycerol backbone with one fatty acid still attached.
5. Options that leave free glycerol assume complete stripping, which pancreatic lipase does not do.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 23 "The Digestive System", section 23.7 Chemical Digestion and Absorption: A Closer Look_
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