Which sequence of events correctly describes how hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen work together to digest proteins while minimizing damage to the gastric gland cells that produce them?

HCl degrades pepsinogen into amino acids which are absorbed by parietal cells to prevent pepsin formation; pepsin forms later in the intestine where pH is neutral

Parietal cells secrete HCl lowering pH and denaturing proteins; chief cells secrete inactive pepsinogen; low pH converts pepsinogen to active pepsin in the lumen where it cleaves denatured proteins, while protective mucus and local zymogen storage prevent autodigestion of gland cells

Pepsinogen is secreted active and stored within parietal cells, HCl is only produced when food reaches the colon to prevent stomach damage

Chief cells secrete pepsin which activates parietal cells to make HCl; HCl then synthesizes pepsinogen into an inactive storage form to protect gastric cells