Question

List the hormones secreted by the Pancreas.

Answer 1

Pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach and it is surrounded by spleen, liver and small intestine. It is a vital part of the digestive system and is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.

Complete Answer:
There are four main hormones secreted by the pancreas.
They are - Glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and pancreatic Polypeptide.
Glucagon - In the postprandial state, the blood glucose levels in the body are low. This signals the pancreas to secrete glucagon, which signals the liver and muscle cells to convert the glycogen back to glucose, which is then absorbed by the other cells to produce energy.
Insulin - When our body digests carbohydrate-rich food, glucose is released into the bloodstream. This leads to an increase in blood glucose levels in the body. Consequently, the pancreas sends signals that direct all the cells in the body to take in the glucose. Most of this glucose is used up to provide energy to the cells. Insulin has antagonistic (opposite) effects on glucagon.
Somatostatin
Somatostatin is also called the GHIH (growth hormone inhibiting hormone). It helps in regulation of blood glucose and/or salt balance. It acts on the Islets of Langerhans and inhibits the secretion of both glucagon & insulin.
Pancreatic Polypeptide
It is a polypeptide, secreted by the pancreatic cells. Protein is a significant stimulus for its development. It affects the GI tract’s motility and the gastric & biliary secretion.

Note: Glucagon initiates glycogenolysis (glycogen degradation) and increases the blood glucose levels; it also stimulates gluconeogenesis (synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate molecules) in the liver cells. Because it increases the blood glucose levels, it is a hyperglycemic hormone.