What is the pancreas used for? Four basic functions of the pancreas

The pancreas is one of the most important organs in the human body. It is similar to the stomach and intestines. It is located in the upper part of the abdomen. Many people may not know about the pancreas, but its role is important and can be said to be indispensable. The pancreas is divided into the internal pancreas and the external pancreas, and is closely related to human health. And the pancreas has a certain digestive function, it can help to process fat. Although the pancreas is small, it contains many enzymes and endocrine cells and plays a very important role. At the same time, it can also promote the synthesis of liver glycogen and regulate and control blood sugar changes in the human body. Can improve muscle activity.

The pancreas is a mixed secretory gland with two main functions: exocrine and endocrine. Its main exocrine component is pancreatic juice, which contains alkaline bicarbonate and various digestive enzymes. Its function is to neutralize gastric acid and digest sugar, protein and fat. The main endocrine components are insulin and glucagon, followed by growth hormone-release inhibitory hormone, intestinal vasoactive peptide, gastrin, etc. The functions of insulin are:

1. Promote liver glycogen synthesis

Promote the synthesis of liver glycogen and muscle glycogen. This effect is mainly achieved by increasing the activity of glycogen synthase in the liver and muscles.

2. Promote glucose into muscles

Promotes the entry of glucose into muscle and adipose tissue cells and activates glucokinase.

3. Inhibit gluconeogenesis

When insulin is deficient, the amount of glucose entering tissue cells decreases. The breakdown and synthesis of liver glycogen are enhanced; the amount of glucose released into the blood by the liver increases greatly, blood sugar levels rise, and exceed the renal glucose threshold and are excreted in the urine, manifesting as diabetes and pancreatitis.

4. Exocrine function :

Pancreatic tissue can produce pancreatic juice as an exocrine function; pancreatic juice is the most important digestive fluid in the human body. Under normal circumstances, pancreatic juice contains inactive pancreatic zymogen in its glandular tissue. Pancreatic juice continuously flows into the duodenum along the pancreatic duct through the sphincter of Oddi of the common bile duct. Due to the presence of bile in the duodenum and the secretion of enterokinase by the duodenal wall mucosa, under the action of the two, pancreatic zymogen begins to transform into a highly active digestive enzyme.

5. Endocrine function :

The islet cells in the pancreas can produce insulin, glucagon and other substances, which are endocrine functions. Regulate blood sugar changes in the human body.