Pancreas
The pancreas is a wing-shaped gland that extends from the
duodenum (the upper portion of the small intestine) to the spleen. It serves
both digestive and endocrine functions.
The pancreas aids in
digestion by producing enzymes that digest several types of nutrients,
including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid, a common acid that
acts as building block in DNA and is essential for all living things.
The pancreas also produces
large amounts of fluid that protects the lining of the small intestine from the
acidic chyme (partially-digested food) that it receives from the stomach. This
fluid collects in a main duct that joins with a common bile duct. The fluid and
bile wait to be released into the duodenum when the stomach releases food.
The pancreas also functions as an endocrine
gland by producing two very important hormones that help regulate the level of
sugar in the blood: insulin and glucagon.
People whose pancreases do
not produce enough insulin have a condition known as diabetes. Type 1 diabetics
have a pancreas that does not produce any insulin, and they must administer the
hormone via injections through their skin. Type 2 diabetics produce an
insufficient amount of insulin.
The pancreas can stop
producing insulin for a variety of reasons. Poor diet, obesity, and a genetic
disposition for the condition are among the most common causes of diabetes.
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