A gland tucked behind the stomach. It adds digestive enzymes to food in the small intestine and makes insulin and glucagon, hormones that regulate blood sugar.

The pancreas is both an exocrine and an endocrine gland, controlling blood sugar levels and digestion.
Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas.
An insulin blood test is most often used to investigate low blood glucose.

How it works

The pancreas releases digestive juices and enzymes through a small duct into the duodenum. Small clumps of cells called the islets of Langerhans make insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and glucagon, another hormone involved in regulating blood sugar.

When blood glucose rises after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin. If the islets cannot produce enough insulin, blood sugar stays high. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or does not respond to it properly.

Connections

4 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.

Pancreas is part of

Gut and digestive system
The pancreas adds digestive juices and enzymes to food through a small duct into the duodenum.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Pancreas; Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Digestive system explained
Hormone (endocrine) system
The pancreas is an endocrine gland that makes insulin and glucagon to control blood sugar levels.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Endocrine glands and their hormones; Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Pancreas

Pancreas makes

Insulin
When blood glucose rises after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin.
Sources: Pathology Tests Explained, Insulin; Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Pancreas

Pancreas is affected by

Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes the immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that normally make insulin.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Type 1 diabetes

Lab tests

Insulin and C-peptideMeasures insulin in the blood. It is most often used to investigate low blood glucose, usually together with C-peptide.

Medicines and supplements

General education only. Never start, stop or change a medicine without your prescriber.

SulfonylureasDiabetes and metabolism

Sources

PancreasBetter Health Channel (Victorian Government), last reviewed 21 August 2014
Endocrine glands and their hormoneshealthdirect Australia, last reviewed December 2024
InsulinPathology Tests Explained, last reviewed 18 March 2025
Type 2 diabeteshealthdirect Australia, last reviewed October 2024

Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.

Summarised from the Better Health Channel, healthdirect and Pathology Tests Explained. Sources read on 13, 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.

In brief