After traveling through the cecum, feces then travels through which of the following sections of the colon?

A. Suppressed red blood cell count is typically associated with conditions like anemia or bone marrow issues, not directly with pancreatic dysfunction.

B. Elevated cholesterol levels may result from metabolic conditions, but they are not a primary consequence of pancreatic dysfunction.

C. Elevated blood sugar is a primary result of pancreatic dysfunction, especially in cases like diabetes mellitus, where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body becomes resistant to insulin.

D. Suppressed immune system is not a direct result of pancreatic dysfunction. However, chronic conditions such as diabetes can affect immune function over time, but it is not the primary effect.

A. The kidneys do not play a role in the chemical breakdown of protein. Their primary function is filtration and regulation of blood composition.

B. The mouth is where mechanical digestion (chewing) occurs, but chemical digestion of proteins does not begin there. Enzymes like amylase break down carbohydrates, not proteins.

C. The stomach is where protein digestion begins. The enzyme pepsin, activated by stomach acid (HCl), starts breaking down proteins into smaller peptides. This is the correct answer.

D. The small intestine continues the digestion of proteins, but the initial breakdown occurs in the stomach. The pancreas also releases digestive enzymes, including trypsin, to further digest proteins in the small intestine.