Pancreas Function

Your pancreas is an organ that lies behind the lower part of your stomach and is connected to the small intestine at the duodenum.

The pancreas contains enzyme-producing cells that secrete both insulin and glucagon directly into the bloodstream. Together these functions play a valuable role in regulating glucose levels in the blood. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, while increasing glucagon in the liver. Glucagon, in turn, increases a falling blood sugar level. If these two enzymes fail to work together properly, diabetes occurs.

In severe cases, most often found in patients with Type I Diabetes, the pancreas function will fail entirely, resulting in the need for a pancreas transplant.