Question

Which of the following is a correct statement?
i) Liver is the largest gland in our digestive system.
ii) Pancreas is a heterocrine gland.
iii) Pepsinogen is activated by an alkali.
iv) Bile juice is produced by the gallbladder.

• A. Both i and ii are correct
• B. Both iii and iv are correct
• C. Both i and iii are correct
• D. Both ii and iv are correct

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both i and ii are correct

Liver is the largest gland in the body. It contains hepatic lobules which are structural and functional units of the liver. Hepatic lobules contain hepatic cells that produce bile juice. Bile juice digests large globules of fat and converts them into small fat globules. It is transported to the gallbladder through a duct called a hepatic duct. Gall bladder is a pouch like structure that is present near the liver. It stores bile juice in it and does not produce it.
A gland that serves as both exocrine (secretes substances into a duct) as well as endocrine (secretes substances directly into bloodstream) gland is termed as heterocrine gland. For example, pancreas which is located in the abdomen. As an endocrine gland, it secretes hormones like insulin and glucagon directly into the bloodstream to control the blood sugar levels. When the carbohydrates are digested and absorbed, the glucose level in the blood increases which triggers pancreas to release insulin. As an exocrine gland, the pancreas secretes enzymes like trypsinogen into the duodenum (initial region of small intestine) via pancreatic duct. This trypsinogen after activation into trypsin breaks down peptides into amino acids present in food.
The parietal cells of the stomach produce an inactive enzyme called pepsinogen. It is activated by an acid called HCl present in the stomach. Due to the action of HCl, pepsinogen is converted into pepsin. Pepsin plays an important role in the breakdown of protein molecules into peptides.