Pepsin is the proteolytic enzyme that cleaves proteins into smaller peptides. Parietal cells produce and release gastric acid (hydrochloric acid) into the lumen of the stomach.
There are four major classes of biological macromolecules: Proteins (polymers of amino acids) Carbohydrates (polymers of sugars) Lipids (polymers of lipid monomers) Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA; polymers of nucleotides)
Pepsin is a PROTEIN and also the powerful enzyme in gastric juice that digests proteins such as those in meat, eggs, seeds, or dairy products.
Pepsin is the mature active form of the zymogen (inactive protein) pepsinogen.
