What is the pancreas?

The pancreas is an elongated gland, 5-6 inches long, situated in a loop of the small intestine and lying behind the stomach. It is called a mixed gland, because it has distinct parts with different functions. It has a major role in digestion – accounting for about 99 per cent of its weight – and releases digestive juices into the small intestine through a small duct. The other 1 per cent, comprising the islets of Langerhans, is involved with the making and storing of hormones, including insulin, and releasing them directly into the blood stream. In an adult, there are from 200,000 to 2 million pancreatic islets scattered throughout the gland, each containing four different kinds of specialised cells acting in combination to regulate digestion and glucose balance. The two most important in diabetes are called alpha and beta cells. Alpha cells produce a hormone called glucagon that raises blood glucose by triggering its release from glycogen stores in the liver. Glucagon is also involved in the utilisation of fats and protein constituents by the body. Beta cells secrete insulin, which lowers blood glucose. It is clear that glucagon and insulin do opposite things. In fact, glucagon is referred to as hyperglycaemic (glucose raising) while insulin is called hypoglycaemic (glucose lowering).
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