5.4.2 The Pancreas Under the Microscope Flashcards
What is the pancreas?
The pancreas is an organ found in the abdomen of mammals
It functions as both an endocrine gland and an exocrine gland
Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the blood, whereas exocrine glands secrete substance via a duct
The exocrine function of the pancreas is to produce pancreatic juice (containing digestive enzymes) to be delivered to the small intestine where it helps in the digestion of food
The endocrine function of the pancreas is to produce the hormones glucagon and insulin
Within the pancreas, these two functions are performed by different tissues, which can be clearly seen and distinguished from each other when observed under a microscope
Most of the cells of the pancreas secrete digestive enzymes (exocrine function) but throughout the organ, there are small sections of cells known as the islets of Langerhans that produce hormones (endocrine function)
The islets of Langerhans contain two cell types: alpha cells, which secrete glucagon, and beta cells, which secrete insulin
