Role and function of the pancreas – the pancreas has a dual role.
The exocrine glandular tissue produces digestive enzymes that help to break down food in the small intestine: sugars, proteins and fats are digested there.
The bicarbonate produced by the exocrine tissue is also important: it helps to maintain a slightly alkaline pH in the small intestine, which supports the action of the digestive enzymes, neutralises stomach acid and thus protects the lining of the small intestine.
The endocrine glandular tissue produces a number of hormones that play a key role in regulating the body's carbohydrate metabolism.
Its most important hormones are insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. Insulin enables glucose to enter the cells. Under the influence of glucagon, the starch (glycogen) stored in the liver's cells is converted back into glucose.
Somatostatin, in turn, is an inhibitory hormone of great importance in regulating the digestive system.
