Which pancreatic enzyme digests triglycerides and what cofactor is required for optimal function?

• A. Pancreatic amylase; requires chloride
• B. Pancreatic lipase; requires colipase
• C. Pancreatic protease; requires zinc
• D. Pancreatic nuclease; requires calcium

Answer: (B)

Pancreatic lipase is the enzyme that digests triglycerides, turning fats into absorbable fatty acids and monoglycerides. For it to work well in the intestinal lumen, a protein cofactor called colipase is required. Colipase binds lipase and anchors it to the fat droplet surface, displacing bile salts that would otherwise inhibit lipase and enabling efficient fat digestion. (Colipase is activated in the gut by trypsin.)

Other options describe enzymes that digest other types of nutrients: amylase targets carbohydrates and relies on different conditions, proteases digest proteins, and nucleases break down nucleic acids.