Pancreas:The pancreas is a sponge-like, tubular organ measuring approximately 6 inches in length, situated at the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach. The right side of the abdomen houses the head of the pancreas, which connects to the upper part of the digestive system. Its narrow end, known as the tail, stretches towards the left side of the body. The pancreas produces pancreatic juices and hormones, such as insulin and glucagon. These juices contain enzymes that assist in digesting food within the small intestine. Both the enzymes and hormones produced by the pancreas are crucial for the body's proper functioning. Once created, pancreatic juices move into the main pancreatic duct, which merges with the bile duct, linking the pancreas to the liver and transporting them to the small intestine near the stomach. Thus, the pancreas functions as a compound gland because it comprises both exocrine and endocrine tissues. The exocrine role involves the production and release of pancreatic juices, while the endocrine role is carried out by the islets of Langerhans—clusters of cells nestled among the exocrine parts of the pancreas. The islets include beta cells that release insulin to regulate carbohydrate metabolism and alpha cells that produce glucagon, which counteracts insulin's effects.
