The Collaborative International Dictionary
Steapsin \Ste*ap"sin\ (st[-e]*[a^]p"s[i^]n), n. (Physiol. Chem.) An unorganized ferment or enzyme present in pancreatic juice. It decomposes neutral fats into glycerin and fatty acids.
Wiktionary
n. (context enzyme English) A lipase that is secreted from the pancreas to hydrolyse triglycerides to liberate the fatty acids and glycerol.
Wikipedia
Steapsin belongs to the class of digestive enzymes called lipases found in the pancreatic juice that catalyzes the hydrolysis of triglycerides (main constituent in vegetable oils and animal fat) to fatty acids and glycerol. When food travels through the oral cavity and down the esophagus into the stomach, enzymes such as pepsin are released where it cleaves large proteins into smaller peptide fragments so further digestion and absorption can occur in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Fats are minimally digested in the stomach by gastric lipases but most digestion occurs in the small intestine.
Usage examples of "steapsin".
According to this theory, the fat, under the influence of the steapsin, absorbs water and splits into two substances, recognized as glycerine and fatty acid.
For bringing about these changes a substance identical in function with the steapsin of the pancreatic juice has been shown to exist in several of the tissues.