Pancreas

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A computer generated image of a pancreas.

The pancreas is an organ in the Digestive System and an endocrine gland.

The Pancreas and Digestion

The pancreas produces digestive enzymes including pancreatic amylase, trypsin (which is a type of protease and lipase.

The digestive enzymes are passed down the pancreatic duct which joins with the bile duct before arriving in the Small Intestine.

The Pancreas as an Endocrine Gland

The pancreas secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon to regulate blood glucose levels.

When the blood glucose level is too high the pancreas produces insulin.

When the blood glucose level is too low the pancreas produces glucagon.

The liver is a target organ for the hormone glucagon.

In Type 1 Diabetes the pancreas is damaged and cannot produce insulin to regulate blood glucose levels.

In Type 2 Diabetes the pancreas may be overworked having to produce much more insulin than it would in a healthy animal.