Question

What is pancreas? What types of hormones do the pancreatic islets secrete?

Answer 1

Pancreas:

1. The pancreas is a heterocrine gland, partly exocrine and partly endocrine.
2. The exocrine part of the pancreas consists of lobules that secret an alkaline pancreatic juice which helps in the digestion of food.
3. The endocrine part of the pancreas consists of groups of islets of Langerhans, each of which consists of three types of cells alpha, beta and delta.

Hormones secreted by pancreatic Islets of Langerhans:

1. Glucagon hormone is secreted by alpha cells, beta cells secrete the hormone insulin and delta cells secrete the hormone Somatostatin.
2. Glucagon control glycogenolysis in the liver and muscle, it increases the amount of sugar in the blood.
3. Insulin stimulates glycogenesis in the liver, it decreases the blood sugar level.
4. Somatostatin suppresses the release of hormones from the pancreas and digestive tract.