Why did scientists originally hypothesize that proteolytic enzymes such as pepsin and trypsin are secreted in inactive form?

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Scientists hypothesized that proteolytic enzymes such as pepsin and trypsin are secreted in inactive form because these enzymes, in active form, would digest the very tissues that synthesize them. Therefore, their activation would need to be tightly regulated to prevent self-digestion.

Why Did Scientists Originally Hypothesize That Proteolytic Enzymes Such as Pepsin