Question #c5ab3
1 Answer
Pancreas is known as a heterocrine gland.
Explanation:
A heterocrine gland is one that has an endocrine as well as an exocrine part.
First let's get into what are endocrine and exocrine glands. An endocrine gland is one which does not require ducts to pour its secretions into the bloodstream hence called ductless glands like the thyroid gland. An exocrine gland is one that requires ducts to pour its sections into the bloodstream like sweat glands and mammary glands.
Coming back to the pancreas, the endocrine part is constituted by the islets of Langerhans which consists of the alpha, beta and delta cells that secrete glucagon, insulin and somatostatin respectively. Insulin and glucagon are involved in glucose metabolism. Insulin converts glucose to glycogen which is stored as such in muscles and liver. When energy is required, this glycogen is converted back to glucose by glucagon. Somatostatin acts as glucagon and insulin inhibitor.
The exocrine part of pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum via the hepatopancreatic duct. The enzymes trypsin, chymotrypsin carboxypeptidase, pancreatic amylase, pancreatic lipase and nucleases help digest proteins (mostly blood), milk proteins, peptides, starch, fats and nucleic acids respectively.
I hope that answered your question.
