Pancreas Essay

The pancreas is one of the essential organs in the human body and belongs in the Digestive system. Out of all the internal organs, the pancreas is unique because the pancreas plays a role in both the endocrine gland and the exocrine gland. This means that the pancreas is a dual function gland in which is the reason why the pancreas is such a vital part of the digestive system. This research paper will talk about the anatomy, physiology, and the important functions the pancreas play to maintain homeostasis.
The pancreas is Located in the upper abdomen posteriorly to the stomach and next to the small intestines. In the average adult, the pancreas is approximately 6-10 inches long and 2 inches wide. The pancreas has three regions: the head, the

The exocrine function of the pancreas is that it produces enzymes that aids in the digestion of food. There are three important enzymes that are crucial in helping with digestion. The first digestive enzyme is amylase. Amylase function is to break down carbohydrates. The amylase enzyme is made in two places: the cells in the digestive tract that produces saliva and the main one specifically found in the pancreas that are called the pancreatic amylase (Marie, Joanne; Media Demand, “What Are the Functions of Amylase, Protease and Lipase Digestive Enzymes”). The amylase in the pancreas passes through the pancreatic duct to the small intestines. This amylase in the pancreas completes the process of digestion of carbohydrates. Consequently, this leads to the production of glucose that gets absorbed into the bloodstream and gets carried throughout the body. The next enzyme that aids in digestion of food is protease. While amylase breaks down carbohydrates, protease breaks down protein. Protease breaks down protein into the building block form of amino acids. The three main proteases that it produces are: pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin (Marie, Joanne; Media Demand, “What Are the Functions of Amylase, Protease and Lipase Digestive Enzymes”). Pepsin does not occur in the pancreas but it is the catalysis in starting the digestion of proteins. Trypsin and chymotrypsin are the two proteases that occur in

The pancreas uses these two hormones in order to monitor blood glucose levels. After a meal, blood glucose usually rises. This is when insulin secretion will start (Nussey S, Whitehead S. “Endocrinology: An Integrated Approach”). Consequently, blood glucose decrease to the normal range. This is how insulin maintains blood levels when is high. However, when blood level falls below normal range, glucagon comes into play. Low blood glucose occurs usually when hungry and during exercise. This will then triggers glucagon secretion. When blood level falls, the body goes into imbalance. Hence is why in order to maintain homeostasis glucagon is crucial. The body will tell the pancreas to increase more glucose and the pancreas will secrete glucagon by taking glycogen from the liver to produce glucose. The glucose will produce energy and will make blood glucose concentration increase (Homeostasis of Insulin and Glucose, Abpischools.org). When the pancreas cannot maintain homeostasis, many problems will arise in the body. When the pancreas fails to produce insulin, type 1 and 2 diabetes can occur. For those with type 1 diabetes, insulin injections will be needed in order to regulate blood glucose level, otherwise, glucose levels will be out of control. For type 2 diabetes, they are not insulin dependent like type 1, however, the body does not create enough in the body. When blood glucose