Which of the following digestive enzymes would be greatly affected if the liver fails to
produce bile?
Answer Details
The correct answer is Lipase. Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It helps in emulsifying fats into smaller droplets, which increases the surface area for lipase to act upon. Lipase is the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol. Without sufficient bile to emulsify fats, the lipase enzyme will have a reduced surface area to act upon, thus leading to decreased digestion and absorption of fats. Therefore, if the liver fails to produce bile, the activity of lipase will be greatly affected.