Question

pancreatic acinar cells produce and secrete digestive enzymes into the duodenum. What would happen if pancreatic acinar cells were treated with a toxin that causes lysis (breakage) of smooth ER membranes?

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is: Uncontrolled release of digestive enzymes into the duodenum.

Explanation:

• SER or the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum is the major location in the cells where fatty acids and steroid molecules are produced.
• These fatty acid molecules form the structure of the various membranes in the cell, including the plasma membrane and organelle membrane.
• The membrane system of the cells gives them a structural integrity.
• Disruption of the SER of the pancreatic acinar cells by a toxin will prevent the synthesis of lipid molecules which forms the membranes in the cell.
• This will cause the membrane to lose its integrity, fluidity, flexibility and the ability to prevent unregulated movement of molecules across them.
• The digestive enzymes need to secreted by the pancreatic acinar cells into the duodenum only when food is available in the duodenum for digestion.
• But loss of the ability of the plasma membrane of the pancreatic acinar cells to regulate the flow of molecules across itself (due to disruption in the lipid production by SER) causes the unregulated flow of digestive enzymes out of the cells into the duodenum as soon as they get produced.