Moriah School

Biology

Miss Wendy

Blanca Molina, Dayana Hernandez, Javier

Orellana and Juan Fernando Mejia

II Period / II Semester

II BCH

Endocrine Pancreas

La Esperanza, Intibucá
 Introduction
Nowadays the field of medicine faces multiple problems that affect the integrity and health
of people. The pancreas is an organ that is not left behind; This organ is of great importance,
like all of our organism, but this in particular is responsible for the secretion of chemical
substances that contribute or help other organs to perform well. An alteration in the
function of this organ will undoubtedly be a case to be treated immediately since if a failure
occurs in the pancreas, it will also originate in other organs such as stomach.
 Endocrine Pancreas
The pancreas is a long, slender organ, most of which is located posterior to the
bottom half of the stomach. Although it is primarily an exocrine gland,
secreting a variety of digestive enzymes, the pancreas has an endocrine
function. Its pancreatic islets—clusters of cells formerly known as the islets of
Langerhans—secrete the hormones glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and
pancreatic polypeptide (PP). Located deep in the abdomen, the pancreas is
responsible for the production of several important hormones, including
insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in your blood.

The endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones that
regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual
function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among other things.

The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen. It plays an essential role in

converting the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. The pancreas has two
main functions:
1. An exocrine function that helps in digestion
2. An endocrine function that regulates blood sugar.

Cells and Secretions of the Pancreatic Islets

The pancreatic islets each contain four varieties of cells:

 The alpha cell produces the hormone glucagon and makes up approximately
20 percent of each islet. Glucagon plays an important role in blood glucose
regulation; low blood glucose levels stimulate its release.
 The beta cell produces the hormone insulin and makes up approximately 75
percent of each islet. Elevated blood glucose levels stimulate the release of
insulin.
 The delta cell accounts for four percent of the islet cells and secretes the
peptide hormone somatostatin. Recall that somatostatin is also released by
the hypothalamus (as GHIH), and the stomach and intestines also secrete it.
 An inhibiting hormone, pancreatic somatostatin inhibits the release of both
glucagon and insulin.
 The PP cell accounts for about one percent of islet cells and secretes the
pancreatic polypeptide hormone. It is thought to play a role in appetite, as well
as in the regulation of pancreatic exocrine and endocrine secretions.
Pancreatic polypeptide released following a meal may reduce further food
consumption; however, it is also released in response to fasting.

Structure and Functions of pancreatic Islets

Pancreatic islets are small clusters of endocrine tissue formed by four types of
hormone-secreting cells:

• Alpha (a) cells make up 17% of pancreatic islet cells and secrete
glucagon.
• Beta cells (b) constitute about 70% of pancreatic islet cells.
• The delta cells (d) constitute close to 7% and secrete somatostatin.
• F cells make up the rest of the cells and secrete pancreatic polypeptides.
• The interactions of the four pancreatic hormones are complex.

Hormones, Action and Control

• Glucagon: in the blood, it raises the glucose level; this causes the liver
to accelerate the degradation of glycogen into glucose.
• Insulin: decreases the level of glucose in the blood, accelerates the
transport of glucose to cells, and converts glucose into glycogen and
decreases glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
• Somastotatin: inhibits the secretion of insulin and glucagon and slows
the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract.
• Pancreano polypeptide: inhibits the secretion of somatostatin, the
contraction of the gallbladder and the secretion of pancreatic digestive
enzymes
 Mellitus diabetes
This disease arises when the pancreas does not synthesize the amount of
insulin the body needs. It is the most common endocrine disorder because
insulin promotes the transport of glucose to the cells of the body, the blood
glucose level is high and glucose is lost in the urine.

Symptoms
• Frequency of urination
• Unusual hunger sensation
• Excessive thirst
• Weakness and fatigue
• Weightloss
• Irritability
• Cloudy vision
• Sensation of discomfort in the stomach
• Very slow healing
• Recurrent infections
• High levels of glucose in the blood and urine

Types
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 1: caused by the autoimmune destruction of the
cells of the pancreas, usually begins abruptly
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: it can appear at any age usually after the age
of 40.

Gestational Diabetes
• Begins or is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy
• Usually the patient regains normal status after delivery
• Women with diabetes management have a higher risk of developing
type 2 diabetes in the short, medium and long term
• The risk factors for diabetes management are obesity and family history
Incidence of diabetes in the Honduran population

In Honduras about one million people live with diabetes, approximately

850,000, equivalent to 10% of the population, most of them type 2. Only 50%
of them are in treatment.
 Questions

1. What does insulin do?

A// Decreases the level of glucose in the blood, accelerates the
transport of glucose to cells, and converts glucose into glycogen
and decreases glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.

2. What is the pancreas?

A// Located deep in the abdomen, the pancreas is responsible for
the production of several important hormones, including insulin,
which controls the amount of sugar in your blood.

3. Which are the two main functions of the pancreas?

A// The pancreas has two main functions: an exocrine function
that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates
blood sugar
Annexed
 Conclusion.
With all the information recovered and after all of our time spent to complete
this assignment, we have come with the conclusion that the endocrine
pancreas is one of the most useful parts of the whole human body. It regulates
many important and essential things such as sugar, glucose and polypeptides
which helps to maintain the blood pressure in active movement. Every cell that
unites the endocrine pancreas has a main function and pancreas itself has a
special place to help the digestive system and also the circulatory system
taking blood to specific points where it is needed. It might not be the most
important part of our body; however, we obviously need it to do his part.
 Bibliography.
 mcb.berkeley.edu
 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 www.sciencedirect.com