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Pancreas

Definition

The pancreas is an organ in the body that plays a vital role in converting the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. It has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar.

Analogy

Think of the pancreas as a power plant inside your body. Just like how a power plant converts coal or gas into electricity to power homes, the pancreas converts food into fuel (glucose) for your body's cells.

Related terms

Insulin: A hormone produced by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use.

Glucagon: Another hormone produced by the pancreas which works with insulin to maintain proper blood sugar levels. When blood sugar is low, glucagon signals the liver to release stored glucose.

Endocrine system: This is a network of glands and organs that produce, store, and secrete hormones like those produced by our key term -the pancreas.