trypsin

enzyme

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Trypsin is a proteolytic enzyme found in animals, including humans. It is secreted by the pancreas in an inactive form called trypsinogen and activated in the small intestine. Trypsin plays a crucial role in digestion by breaking down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, which can then be absorbed. This enzyme functions best in a slightly alkaline environment. The term "tryptic" refers to anything related to trypsin or its action.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

biochemistry
Digestion
Pepsin and trypsin, the proteolytic enzymes of gastric and pancreatic juice, respectively, continue to be intensively investigated.
Read More
Pepsin and trypsin, the proteolytic enzymes of gastric and pancreatic juice, respectively, continue to be intensively investigated.
Read More

enterokinase
…inactive pancreatic secretion trypsinogen into trypsin, one of the enzymes that digest proteins. Enterokinase is believed to be produced by the glands of Brunner in the membrane lining of the duodenum. It resists destruction from the various enzymes in the small intestine but is destroyed by bacteria in the large…
Read More
…inactive pancreatic secretion trypsinogen into trypsin, one of the enzymes that digest proteins. Enterokinase is believed to be produced by the glands of Brunner in the membrane lining of the duodenum. It resists destruction from the various enzymes in the small intestine but is destroyed by bacteria in the large…
Read More

separation and purification
Chromatography
…recombinantly made drug, an enzyme, trypsin, is used to break peptide bonds containing the basic amino acids—arganine and lysine—to yield a specific fingerprint of the protein. Peptide mapping is a critical method for evaluating the purity of complex substances such as proteins.
Read More
…recombinantly made drug, an enzyme, trypsin, is used to break peptide bonds containing the basic amino acids—arganine and lysine—to yield a specific fingerprint of the protein. Peptide mapping is a critical method for evaluating the purity of complex substances such as proteins.
Read More

Sir William Maddock Bayliss
…to demonstrate how the enzyme trypsin was formed from inactive trypsinogen in the small intestine and to measure precisely the time required for a trypsin solution to digest specific quantities of protein.
Read More
…to demonstrate how the enzyme trypsin was formed from inactive trypsinogen in the small intestine and to measure precisely the time required for a trypsin solution to digest specific quantities of protein.
Read More