British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Lipase definition

Definition: Lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fats. Fats are too big a molecule to be absorbed properly as they are, so the body has lipase enzymes to break down the 3 strands of the big lipid molecules into separate, smaller strands. When food containing fat is ingested, it goes into the stomach, where it is broken up a bit, before going into the small intestine, where bile is released from the pancreas, containing the lipase enzymes. This is where the fats or lipids are properly broken down into fatty acids. Then it continues down the small intestine, where more enzymes break down the lipids further and then are absorbed into the bloodstream, as smaller molecules like fatty acids and glycerol are easier for the body to use.