Lipid metabolism: colipase and pancreatic lipase: practice question

A Biochemistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Biochemistry · Lipid metabolism: colipase and pancreatic lipase

Sample item

A man with chronic pancreatitis has pale, bulky, foul-smelling stools. In the intestinal lumen, pancreatic lipase needs which protein to bind the emulsified fat droplet in the presence of bile salts?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Colipase

Bile salts coat the fat droplet and would displace lipase, but colipase anchors lipase to the lipid-water interface. Colipase is secreted as procolipase and activated by trypsin. Loss of pancreatic secretion therefore causes steatorrhoea and fat-soluble vitamin deficiency.

Option by option

  • A. Enterokinase

    Enterokinase converts trypsinogen to trypsin and does not bind fat droplets.

  • B. Apolipoprotein C-II

    Apolipoprotein C-II activates lipoprotein lipase in plasma, not pancreatic lipase in the gut.

  • C. Colipase (correct)

    Correct. Colipase anchors pancreatic lipase on the bile salt-coated droplet.

  • D. Intrinsic factor

    Intrinsic factor carries vitamin B12 and has no role in fat digestion.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Biochemistry question

What is the answer to this Biochemistry question?

The best answer is C, Colipase. Bile salts coat the fat droplet and would displace lipase, but colipase anchors lipase to the lipid-water interface.

Why is "Enterokinase" not the answer?

Enterokinase converts trypsinogen to trypsin and does not bind fat droplets.

Why is "Apolipoprotein C-II" not the answer?

Apolipoprotein C-II activates lipoprotein lipase in plasma, not pancreatic lipase in the gut.

Why is "Intrinsic factor" not the answer?

Intrinsic factor carries vitamin B12 and has no role in fat digestion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Lipid metabolism: colipase and pancreatic lipase in Biochemistry. Colipase is secreted as procolipase and activated by trypsin. Loss of pancreatic secretion therefore causes steatorrhoea and fat-soluble vitamin deficiency.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Lipid metabolism: colipase and pancreatic lipase?

Build one table of enzyme deficiency, disease, inheritance and key finding, then revise it by spaced recall. Then use the flashcards and the other Biochemistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.