Question

Name the hormone secreted by the pancreas. What is the function of this hormone?

Answer 1

The hormone produced by the pancreas is the most common and well-known hormone and is also available as a synthetically-produced product. It is used in the treatment of one of the most common lifestyle and dietary disorders in our country.

Complete answer:
The pancreas is an organ present alongside the stomach and the small bowel. It is a part of the digestive system and the endocrine system.
-It is an exocrine (secretes enzymes) as well as an endocrine gland (secretes hormones).
-Specific tissues that exist as cell clusters have the responsibility of secreting hormones and are known as pancreatic islets or Islets of Langerhans. They contain alpha cells, beta cells, and delta cells, and each type of cell releases a specific hormone.
-Glucagon is secreted by alpha cells secrete glucagon, insulin by beta cells secrete insulin, while delta cells secrete somatostatin.
-These hormones are known to regulate blood glucose in the body.
-When the level of glucose rises in the body, the pancreas releases insulin, which stimulates the uptake of glucose and the formation of glycogen. In Type 1 Diabetes, a person is unable to produce enough insulin, thus causing a high blood glucose level.
-The hormone that works in opposition to insulin is glucagon. The hormone is released in response to low blood sugar levels. It stimulates glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in the liver, the process to break down glycogen into glucose and generation of glucose from various substrates, respectively.
-Somatostatin is responsible for the regulation of insulin and glucagon.
-Pancreatic polypeptide self-regulates pancreatic endocrine and exocrine secretion activities.

Additional Information: -The exocrine part of the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum via the pancreatic duct.
-Pancreatic polypeptide is another hormone secreted by the PP or F cells.
-Beta cells form the highest number of cells, around 60 - 75 % of the total islet cells in the pancreas.
-Insulin is a polypeptide consisting of an α-chain of 21 amino acids long linked to a 30 amino acid chain. These are named A and B chains and are linked with two disulfide bridges at the cysteine residues.

Note: -The difference between endocrine and exocrine glands is that the former is a ductless gland and relies on the circulatory system for the transport of hormones while the latter secretes enzymes through ducts.
-Insulin is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body.
-Somatostatin is not only produced in the pancreas but also in other parts of the body. It is responsible for the regulation of other hormones including growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, cholecystokinin, and insulin.