The Pancreas
The pancreas performs a range of both endocrine (secretion of hormones) and exocrine (secretion of enzymes, like digestive juices) functions. Pancreatic hormones are secreted by islet cells that are present in the form of clusters. There are three main types of cells in the pancreatic islets:
There are three main type of cells in the pancreatic islets:
- α (alpha) cells secrete glucagon- glucagon helps to increase blood glucose levels
- β (beta) cells secrete insulin-insulin is the hormone responsible for lowering blood glucose levels and increasing protein formation
- δ(delta) cells secrete somatostatin- somatostatin maintains a balance between the secretion of insulin and glucagon
The exocrine function of the pancreas includes secretion of a range of enzymes involved in the digestion of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. |
