Discovery of pepsin
Descubrimiento de la pepsina
- Date
- 1836 · confidence high
- Place
- Berlin, Germany
- Credited to
- Theodor Schwann
- Field
- Life & health
What was discovered
Physiologist Theodor Schwann identifies the substance in gastric juice responsible for digesting proteins and names it pepsin, one of the first enzymes ever discovered.
Schwann coined the name from the Greek 'pepsis' (digestion); it is contemporary with his work on cell theory.
What it led to
- Enzymatic theory of digestion
- Search for and isolation of other digestive enzymes
- Pepsin preparations for medical and industrial use