What are zymogens

Question

What are zymogens? Briefly explain it.

Answer 1

Zymogens or proenzymes are enzymes secreted in an inactive form. Under some situations, a zymogen shifts to the active form of an enzyme. Zymogen secretions in common happen since the enzyme activity can damage the secretory tissue.

For illustration, the pepsinogen secreted by stomach becomes active beneath acid pH turning into the enzyme pepsin. The other familiar zymogens are chymotrypsinogen and trypsinogen. Enzymes are secreted by an exocrine pancreas and correspondingly chymotrypsin and trypsin.