Pancreas- brief notes

The Pancreas 

Pancreas is considered to be a mixed gland. this organ controls our body's sugar level and produces a special juice called pancreatic juice that literally releases the nutrients present in any meal you have eaten so it has a role in our Metabolism, the pancreas is situated behind our stomach see Fig.1 which means that one of its main functions is to assist in breaking down food through a mixture made of water, sodium bicarbonate and digestive enzymes.

Sodium bicarbonate's role is to neutralizes the stomach's acidity so as to let the digestive enzymes perform their functions, enzymes such as Lipase, Protease, and Amylase. (exocrine function) these digestive enzymes are secreted from cells called Acinar cells see Fig.2

Lipase breaks down the fatty substances

Protease help in splitting up proteins

Amylase divides carbohydrates into energy-rich sugars

So these past three enzymes have a great role in our metabolism, another function of the pancreas which is considered to be crucial is controlling the amount of sugar in the human's blood through two hormones:

Insulin and glucagon which are produced from special small glandular cells in the pancreas called the Islets of Langerhans (endocrine function) see Fig.3 the islets of langerhans has two types of cells (alpha & beta cells) see Fig.4

The alpha cells are usually small in number and secretes glucagon hormone, this hormone is secreted only when the blood sugar level is falling down or too low, by telling the cells and livers to release sugar in the bloodstream, converting the stored glycogen for example in the liver to glucose.

The beta cells represents the majority of cells and secretes a hormone called insulin which antagonizes the action of glucagon. Mainly it makes the excess sugar moves back to the cells, it stimulates the oxidation and utilization of glucose by the cells as it is important for transport of all monosaccharides (except fructose) across the cell membrane also stimulates the conversion of glucose to glycogen ( to be stored in the liver or muscles) or to lipids.

We can say that the balance between insulin and glucagon is what keeps our body's health maintained but any failure in either the secretion of insulin or glucagon can lead to a condition called Diabetes Mellitus, the increase in glucose level in the blood is associated with abnormal appearance, excretion of glucose in urine with the excretion of large volume of water which explains the symptoms of continuous thirst sensation and excessive micturition, blood vessels becomes hardened, heart attacks, kidney failure and strokes.

Also from what we learn from this video is that people who have diabetes their body tends to have high glucagon level which increases the sugar level making it worse.

The pancreas is more like an instructor that guides our body to maintain a good health.

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Thanks to #TedEd for developing this video which is full important and helpful notes

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig.3

Fig.4