Hydrochloric acid is secreted in which organ?
- (a)Intestine
- (b)Liver
- (c)Stomach
- (d)Pancreas
Correct — C, Stomach. Parietal (oxyntic) cells lining the gastric glands of the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) as part of gastric juice. HCl activates pepsinogen into the digestive enzyme pepsin, creates the strongly acidic environment needed for protein digestion, and kills most ingested pathogens.
- (a)Intestine — The small intestine receives alkaline pancreatic and bile secretions to neutralise stomach acid — it does not secrete HCl.
- (b)Liver — The liver secretes bile (for fat emulsification), not hydrochloric acid.
- (d)Pancreas — The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes and bicarbonate (which neutralises stomach acid) via pancreatic juice, not HCl.
Parietal (oxyntic) cells in the gastric glands of the stomach lining secrete hydrochloric acid. HCl converts inactive pepsinogen (secreted by chief cells) into active pepsin, provides the acidic pH required for protein digestion, and acts as a first line of defence by killing swallowed microorganisms.
MPPSC/UPSC often test 'which gland/organ secretes which digestive substance' — anchor: stomach → HCl + pepsin (acidic); pancreas → enzymes + bicarbonate (alkaline); liver → bile (alkaline, for fats).
- HCl is secreted by parietal (oxyntic) cells of the gastric glands in the stomach
- Activates pepsinogen into pepsin (a protein-digesting enzyme)
- Creates a strongly acidic gastric environment
- Also helps kill most ingested microorganisms
The stomach is the only organ in this list that produces a strongly acidic secretion.
- Confusing the stomach's acidic secretion (HCl) with the pancreas's alkaline one (bicarbonate)
- Attributing bile production to the gallbladder instead of the liver
Typically a direct 'organ → secretion' factual recall, sometimes as a list-matching or assertion-reason question on digestive physiology.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which enzyme, activated by hydrochloric acid in the stomach, digests proteins?
- (a)Amylase
- (b)Pepsin
- (c)Trypsin
- (d)Lipase
Answer(b) Pepsin — pepsinogen is converted to active pepsin by stomach HCl.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which digestive gland secretes an alkaline juice containing bicarbonate to neutralise acidic chyme entering the small intestine?
- (a)Salivary glands
- (b)Liver
- (c)Pancreas
- (d)Stomach
Answer(c) Pancreas — its bicarbonate-rich juice neutralises acidic chyme.