The pancreas is formed by two sections: exocrine, which occupies 98% of the gland and pancreatic - in the form of small inclusions on its entire surface.
The endocrine department is responsible for the secretion of gastric juice and the control of the processes occurring in the duodenum, as well as saturates the digestive fluids with enzymes.
The endocrine part is responsible for the production of hormones.
Hormonal function
The pancreas produces two hormones - glucagon and insulin. Alpha cells are involved in the process of glucagon production, and beta cells are involved in the production of insulin. In addition to these two types of cells, iron also contains delta cells that produce somatostatin.
What hormones does the pancreas produce?
Human insulin is divided into two types: stimulated and basal.
The basal type is different in that it enters the blood when not needed. An example of such a discharge can be the production of insulin when food does not enter the body, that is, on an empty stomach.
Norms of blood glucose - not more than 5.5 mmol / L, while the level of insulin should be 69 mmol / L.
The stimulated type is triggered by messages that occur when food is consumed and amino acids and glucose enter the bloodstream. The secretory function of these hormones is attributed to the stimulatory effect of drugs containing sulfonylurea.
Stimulation of insulin occurs in two stages:
- Short is the release of the hormone into the blood.
- Slow is the synthesis of the hormone.
In addition to them, various concomitant substances involved in digestion are also produced here. This list reflects what enzymes the pancreas produces:
- Substances affecting proteins are trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidases A and B, elastase, ribonuclease.
- Substances capable of digesting carbohydrates: amylase, invertase, maltose, lactose.
- Substances capable of breaking down fats. These are cholinesterase and lipase.
In the event that the pancreas does not produce enzymes, or if their insufficiency is present, there is an enzyme associated with a concomitant disease.
The role of hormones
The role of the pancreas in the production of insulin and glucagon is to regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as well as affect the redistribution of glucose from blood plasma to tissue.
Its main function is the synthesis of lipocaine, which carries the task of blocking and degenerating liver cells.
In the case of a critical shortage, when the pancreas does not produce enough of these compounds, hormonal malfunction begins in the processes of the functioning of the body, which is caused by not only acquired, but also congenital malformations.
When the pancreas does not produce the hormone insulin in sufficient quantities, a disease occurs - diabetes. With an extreme excess of insulin, the glucagon content increases and the concentration of sugar in the blood cells decreases, which, in turn, increases the amount of adrenaline. Then hypoglycemia occurs - this is a decrease in the ability of liver cells to process glucose.
The absence or extreme deficiency of somatostatin leads to the occurrence of violations of various processes of the body with a violation of the balance of metabolic processes.
How is insulin made
On what hormones the pancreas produces, the implementation of fat metabolism in the whole body is built.
Even before the formation of insulin, during its synthesis in beta cells, the substance proinsulin is secreted. By itself, it is not a hormone. The process of its conversion occurs under the influence of the Golgi complex, as well as the presence of special enzymatic compounds. After the process of its transformation in the structure of cells, it will turn into insulin. Then its reabsorption takes place back, where it is subjected to granulation and sent to storage, from where it will be removed in case of urgent need when the body sends signals.
This system works when the blood sugar level rises, when the cells release the stored insulin to neutralize it and properly convert it to glycogen, increasing its concentration in the liver cells in muscle tissue, as an energy supplier for the whole body. Thanks to the effects of insulin, plasma sugar levels can quickly return to normal.
If high levels of its content in the blood are detected, this should be regarded as a signal that the body does not resist the increased secretion of this hormone poorly, which is associated with the inability of the receptors responsible for carbohydrate metabolism to recognize and eliminate this danger. As a result, a disease called diabetes begins to develop . Its consequences are that the carbohydrates that enter the body are not processed or absorbed, which is why blood tests show a high blood sugar.
Signs of the appearance of such diseases without taking tests is increased thirst, which is associated with the ability of glucose to absorb moisture. This means that it is not neutralized in the blood, it causes dehydration of the body.
What determines the release of insulin
The pancreas produces enzymes and hormones, quite subtly feeling the slightest changes in blood sugar. Due to this, it gives signals to the body to start the formation of an increased amount of insulin or the need to reduce it and send it to the reserve.
When diabetes occurs, the islets of the endocrine gland undergo changes and disorders in the functions performed. In this regard, for diabetics there is a list of products that are contraindicated for consumption precisely due to the high sugar content, which the body is not able to cope with. These are pastries and sweets, honey, carbohydrate products, as well as pure sugar. An excess of sugar in the blood leads to extreme depletion of the beta cells responsible for the
synthesis of insulin, and can lead to their absolute death.
Glucagon
The pancreas produces glucagon in alpha cells. The intestinal mucous membranes produce the hormone interaglucogon, which is also an adrenaline synergist. This pancreatic hormone is responsible for controlling the course of lipolysis and its speed, and also has a direct effect on glycogenolysis in the liver.
The main most important function of the pancreas in the human body is the secretion of various hormones that contribute to the digestion of food and its absorption.