now enzymes and paradigms

July 9, 2003

Hi Jason,

Before I go into the enzyme discussion, I wanted to "bravo" your commentary regarding lurking pathogens. I agree with you that lurking pathogens and temperate viruses only "sound" like the same thing. I further agree with you that it is absurd to try to match "sound alikes" between two paradigms of science that have evolved over the centuries without contact. The chances that they might have any relationship to each other are slim at best. I'm with you when it comes to trying not to get distracted by the similar sounding words of different paradigms. I appreciate your courage and forthrightness in stating that case.

Now on to enzymes. First, yes, duodenal membrane bound enzymes activate pancreatic proteases. Other pancreatic enzymes (carboxylases, lipases, and nucleases) do not need activation from the duodenal membrane. They just need their substrate and the right conditions: normal temperature and a pH of slightly over 8. Yes, they can be used over and over during the segmentation contractions of the intestines which bring about mixing of food and enzymes. In fact their active sites can be used at the rate of thousands of reactions per second. The more the substrate, the faster the enzyme works. If the food is in the intestines for several hours, then the enzyme works for several hours. The segmentation contractions assure good mixing. Then peristaltic waves move food and enzymes distally. The pancreatic enzymes travel with the food through the intestine ... eventually arriving at the sewer. The duodenal mucosal enzymes may remain in situ or exfoliate into the chyme and move on.

No none of the enzymes are absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. The enzymes are 1,000's of amino acids long. The intestinal mucosa absorbs monomers, dimers and trimers (single amino acids or two or three amino acids bound together.) On the molecular level I suppose this seems like such a waste. But don't worry! This is just the microscopic view. Keep in mind the orders of magnitude. An electron microscope magnifying 30,000 times can't even see this situation. You are eating macroscopic amounts of food. So even if you eat only 2 or 3 ounces of concentrated protein (meat) per day, you will get plenty of material for building your enzymes anew.

I can't figure out your third question. What is cell's msg.?

By the way, I'm just teaching the physiology chapter on digestion starting on Monday of next week. It's eight hours worth of lecture to cover this material. Jason, your questions are great. I hope I'm not boring the list with my commentary.

In gratitude for your patient reading,

Emmanuel Segmen

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Tuesday, July 08, 2003 8:17 PM

Re: instant spleen qi

Enzymes are always "unused". That is, they are catalysts that facilitate chemical reactions but do not themselves participate in the reaction. Thus, enzymes are always unaffected and unused as nutrients themselves. They go right out into the sewer with the undigested chyme. > > Note further (is this getting boring?) that the diffusion gradient becomes more and more intense as you move distally through the small intestine. Thus, what you eat and digest is going to go into the blood if it is a functional nutrient. Generally what you put into your mouth, you have committed to putting into your blood ... both fluid and solid. Pretty arresting thought. Gives one pause before making the commitment. >Emmanuel, & others,First, I admit to not knowing much about the intricacies of western digestion, so with that preface maybe you could entertain a few questions...1) I am unclear about the above, "right out into the sewer". IF this is so, how does the feedback mechanism work for digestive enzymes? I.e. If they don't stick around, nor get reabsorbed in anyway, how does our body know if we have too much or not enough? 2) I thought microvilla had enzymes incorporated into there plasma membranes, and if after they perform their job, why would they be flushed out... I thought they stay intact, not really changing, since they are just catalysts (speeding up a reaction, or just allowing a barrier of potential to be crossed) - if this is true, they would be able to be used again. So they technically would not be reabsorbed, but able to be reused. Obviously pancreatic enzymes injected into the S.I. have a different situation, can someone explain the difference… But why wouldn't these pancreatic enzymes get reabsorbed by the S.I. (if everything else does?)Here is a quote that references a major A & P textbook:Digestive enzymes, like any catalyst, are reused/recycled multiple times. Thus, any supposed "savings" (of energy, or of a proposed "life force") in the production of digestive enzymes to make up for food enzymes lost to cooking (assuming the latter are of much use to digestion in the first place) would be very small and mostly illusory given that enzymes are reused during digestion anyway. (Note: Tortora and Anagostakos [1981, pp. 46-47] discusses reuse of enzymes.)It seems tortora thinks enzymes get reused.. can someone comment on this?3) also isn't the cell's msg. for what enzymes to be produced dependent on what it comes into contact with?-ChineseMedicineDoc.comChinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education.

July 10, 2003

Emmanuel, thank you for the enzyme discussion. I

tried to find this information in my Anatomy textbooks (my nutrition texts are

in a box somewhere in the garage). I’m sure elsewhere I would never

have found an answer as succinct and informative as your post. This list

can at times be a truly amazing resource.

-Tim Sharpe

July 10, 2003

, " Tim Sharpe "

<listserve@d...> wrote:

> Emmanuel, thank you for the enzyme discussion. I tried to find this

> information in my Anatomy textbooks (my nutrition texts are in a box

> somewhere in the garage). I'm sure elsewhere I would never have

found an

> answer as succinct and informative as your post. This list can at

times be

> a truly amazing resource.

>

> -Tim Sharpe

ditto, thanx 'E'

-Jason

July 10, 2003

> Emmanuel, thank you for the enzyme discussion> > -Tim Sharpeditto, thanx 'E'-Jason

Dear Tim and Jason,

It's my pleasure. I also feel this list is a great resource not only for information but also for the development of friendships. I've learned a lot by carefully observing the exchange of thoughts and perspectives on many subjects. A great deal of interesting information is presented on this list. I've also come to honor the minds of many of those on list for their balanced, patient and thoughtful presentations.

Regarding anything from anatomy/physiology and it's biochemistry, I'm lecturing four hours per day, four days per week. I'm happy to release some of that energy in written form when you have questions. Surely I've already gotten more from this list than I can ever give back.

In gratitude,

Emmanuel Segmen