lipaasien

Lipaasien is the Finnish term for lipases, a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of lipids, notably triglycerides, into smaller molecules such as free fatty acids and monoacylglycerols. They are essential for fat digestion and broader lipid metabolism. Lipases are serine hydrolases that typically use a catalytic triad of serine, histidine, and aspartate. In many contexts they require a nonenzymatic cofactor, colipase, to function effectively in the presence of bile salts and emulsified fats. Lipases often act at the lipid–water interface and exhibit interfacial activation, increasing activity when fats form emulsions.

In humans, several lipases perform distinct physiological roles. Pancreatic lipase digests dietary triglycerides in the small intestine; gastric lipase contributes to fat digestion in the stomach; hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase participate in lipid processing in the bloodstream and liver; adipose triglyceride lipase initiates triglyceride breakdown in adipose tissue. Lipolysis proceeds through a sequence of enzymatic steps that release fatty acids for energy or storage.

Clinical relevance includes the use of serum lipase measurements as a diagnostic marker for acute pancreatitis, where lipase is typically more specific than amylase. Therapeutically, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy provides lipase (along with other digestive enzymes) to patients with pancreatic insufficiency. Lipase inhibitors, such as orlistat, reduce fat absorption for obesity treatment but can cause gastrointestinal side effects.