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The main role of the pancreas is to secrete hormones that regulate blood sugar levels, which is a crucial aspect of homeostasis. You need to keep your blood sugar levels within a certain range, and the hormones that are secreted by the pancreas allow us to do this.
Pancreatic islets are groups of three types of cells within the pancreas that secrete hormones. Those groups consist of alpha cells, beta cells, and delta cells. Each of these types of cells secretes a different hormone that has a different role in regulating blood sugar levels.
Alpha cells secrete glucagon, which is a hormone which helps to increase blood sugar levels.
IN CONTEXT
Let's say that you've had a super-busy day and you haven't had breakfast and missed lunch. It's getting later in the day, and you still haven't eaten anything; at this point, your blood sugar levels will start to drop. Alpha cells in the pancreas will then secrete glucagon to raise those blood sugar levels to a homeostatic point.
Beta cells are a type of cell found within pancreatic islets that secrete insulin. Insulin is a hormone that you may be a little bit more familiar with. Insulin helps to decrease blood sugar levels. If blood sugar levels start to get too high, insulin is responsible for lowering them. Somebody who has diabetes has an autoimmune disease causing their beta cells to not properly secrete this insulin. Since their body doesn't secrete insulin, they have to take insulin injections in order to lower their blood sugar levels.
IN CONTEXT
Let's say that you take your little brother or sister or child out trick-or-treating on Halloween and they fall asleep. You decide to go through their candy bag and binge on a bunch of their candy. Your blood sugar levels at that point are just going to skyrocket, and beta cells will secrete insulin, which helps to lower those blood sugar levels to help maintain that homeostatic point.
Delta cells secrete somatostatin. Somatostatin is a hormone that helps to regulate the functioning of these alpha and beta cells.
Source: THIS WORK IS ADAPTED FROM SOPHIA AUTHOR AMANDA SODERLIND