By Chrissy and Kellianne The Pancreas By Chrissy and Kellianne

What is it? It is both an exocrine and endocrine gland and has 2 main functions- digestion and blood sugar regulation located in the abdomen Shaped like a flat pear, surrounded by the stomach, small intestine, liver, spleen, and gallbladder

Digestion Pancreas contains exocrine glands that produce enzymes important to digestion Enzymes include trypsin and chymotrypsin- digest proteins Amylase- digests carbohydrates Lipase- digests fats When food enters the stomach, theses enzymes are released in pancreatic juices that culminate in the main pancreatic duct The main pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct to the ampulla of Vater, which is located in the duodenum The common bile duct also produces bile The pancreatic juices and bile are released into the duodenum and and help the body to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins

Blood Sugar Regulation The endocrine component of the pancreas consists of islet cells that create and release important hormones directly into the bloodstream Two of the main pancreatic hormones are insulin and glucagon Insulin- acts to lower blood sugar Glucagon- acts to raise blood sugar Maintaining proper blood sugar levels is crucial to the functioning of key organs Insulin is secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas. As blood glucose levels increase, insulin is secreted into the bloodstream. In response to insulin, cells absorb absorb glucose out of the blood, lowering blood glucose levels Glucagon is secreted by the alpha cells of the pancreas. As blood glucose levels decrease, glucagon is secreted into the bloodstream. In response to glucagon, the liver releases the glucose it has stored in its cells into the bloodstream and make glucose out of building blocks obtained from other nutrients found in the body, thus increasing blood glucose levels

Feedback Loops The role that the pancreas plays in blood glucose homeostasis is regulated by a negative feedback loop As insulin levels decrease, glucagon is secreted, and as glucagon levels decrease, insulin is secreted Negative feedback systems are “processes that sense changes in the body and activate mechanisms that reverse the changes in order to restore conditions to their normal levels”

Type 1 Diabetes Most common disease of the pancreas. The peak age of diagnosis in the united states is 14. Diabetes occurs when, for unknown reason, the pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is the hormone which regulates levels of glucose in the blood. Doctors can diagnosis diabetes through high blood sugar levels in the patient’s urine. This may occur if the pancreas is producing little to no insulin. Treatments must be talked about with a doctor and involves the insertion of lab grown insulin after meals.

Citations http://columbiasurgery.org/pancreas/pancreas-and-its-functions http://www.biologyreference.com/Bl-Ce/Blood-Sugar-Regulation.html https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/diabetes/normal-regulation-blood- glucose