The position of the pancreas The pancreas is located below the stomach and extends from the gap in the semicircular coil of the duodenum of the abdominal cavity to the spleen. Structure of the pancreas The pancreas is a mixed gland 20 cm long and 5 cm wide. The wide side of it that lies between the coils of the duodenum is called the head ; The part that narrows and extends to the spleen is the tail ; And the part between the head and the tail is called the body. Six ducts emerge from the glandular glands and converge, forming the duct of Wirsung . This duct travels along the length of the gland and joins the identical bile duct near the duodenum and enters the duodenum through the ampoule of the vas deferens. The glandular cells of the pancreas are arranged according to the shape of the grape at the end of the six tubes. Outside of these, tiny polygonal cells combine to form islets of Langerhans . These act as endocrine glands. The hormones insulin and glucagon are secreted from the islets of Langerhans. These hormones play an important role in controlling the physiological functions of the body. Function of the pancreas Alkaline liquid pancreatic juice is secreted as food passes from the stomach to the small intestine. Two types of secretions from the epidermis of the pancreas combine to form pancreatic juice: (1) a digestive enzyme and (2) an alkaline fluid. The 3 main enzymes in this juice are amylase , lipase and protease. Amylase breaks down starch into smaller molecules of carbohydrates and sugars. Lipase converts fats into fatty acids and glycerol in the presence of bile salts. Various enzymes (proteases) that analyze proteins turn peptide molecules into smaller peptides. Most of the protein in the body is digested by the various proteases of pancreatic juice. The two major proteases secreted by the extracellular portion of the pancreas are trypsin and cimetrypsin. These break down large protein molecules into smaller peptides. (Conversion from peptides to amino acids occurs in the small intestine through the action of other peptides). Bicarbonate ions are secreted from the epithelial part of the pancreas as part of the pancreatic juice. The partially digested food (i.e. chime) in the stomach is highly acidic in the action of the gastrin. Due to the alkaline nature of bicarbonate, the digested food becomes neutral. As a result, even if the food enters the small intestine, the cells of the intestinal wall are not damaged. Bicarbonate ions are secreted from extracellular pancreatic duct cells. Pancreatic juice thus regulates acid-base balance , water balance , body temperature etc.