What are the functions of the pancreas



The pancreas is one of the most important glands in the human body. This organ is positioned in the upper part of the abdomen transversely between the stomach, the spleen and the first part of the intestine.

It measures about 15 centimeters long and is 2 or 3 centimeters wide .

It can be divided into 3 parts :

> The head that is in close contact with the part of the intestine called the duodenum .

> The body that is in front of many important blood vessels that originate from the aorta.

> The tail that comes close to the spleen .

The pancreas has 2 main functions in the human body which are called respectively the exocrine function of the pancreas and the endocrine function of the pancreas.

The exocrine function of the pancreas

The pancreas has the particular function of helping in the process of digestion of food by secreting specific substances used for the digestion of food.

The pancreas then produces specific enzymes for digestion and this occurs inside the pancreatic acini. Indicatively, the pancreas produces 1 to 3 liters a day of pancreatic secretions composed of at least 20 different enzymes, including lipases that digest fats, amylases that digest carbohydrates and lipases, including trypsin, which digest proteins.

Subsequently these enzymatic substances are poured into the duodenal tract passing through the pancreatic duct or also called Wirsung.

This pancreatic juice joins the secretion of the liver called bile and then arrives inside the duodenum. Right now pancreatic enzymes are activated and the actual digestion process begins.

The food that has arrived from the stomach can therefore be digested and broken down into first elements such as proteins and amino acids, fats and essential fatty acids, starches and simple sugars.

The work of enzymatic production of the pancreas is essential for the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates without which problems such as abdominal bloating, cramps, diarrhea, vitamin deficiencies and other problems due to deficiencies and malnutrition can occur.

The endocrine function of the pancreas

The pancreas has specific insular cells that secrete hormones for the entire human body. These particular cells that produce endocrine hormones are called Langerhans islands and are distributed throughout the pancreas reaching more than 1.5 million.

The two most important hormones produced by the pancreas are insulin and glucagon that are released into the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar.

Insulin is released when high blood sugar is present in the blood while glucagon is released when the blood sugar level is too low. Sugar is necessary for the cells of our body to have the right energy in order to carry out the various cellular functions.

Insulin regulates the presence of circulating sugar in the blood due to its ability to promote the entry of sugar into the cells. This leads to energy in the body's organs and cells, thus lowering the circulating sugar in the blood. On the other hand, glucagon has an opposite effect and limits the entry of sugar in favor of a greater presence in the bloodstream.

In conclusion the pancreas serves for ...

The pancreas is therefore a gland with secretive properties for both digestive enzymes and endogenous hormones.

These 2 functions of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas are not strictly bound . With this it is understood that if one of the two functions were damaged the other could still not have problems and continue its specific secreting function.

Furthermore, the pancreas also produces bicarbonates which are specific substances for activating enzymes . These are used to create the right circulating pH and therefore are useful for regulating acidity and acting as a buffer. They are secondary elements but still functions of the pancreas.

Pancreatic activities are essential for the health of human life, since both digestive and hormonal regulation are involved. Any problems and malfunctions of the pancreas lead to specific diseases such as diabetes or other dysfunctions and diseases of the body organs.

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