Question

The pancreas has endocrine cells that produce hormones and ________ cells that produce digestive enzymes.

A) mucosal
B) smooth muscle
C) exocrine
D) hepatic
E) gastric.

Answer 1

The pancreas has endocrine cells that produce hormones and exocrine cells that produce digestive enzymes, with exocrine being the correct answer for the blank in the student's question.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pancreas has endocrine cells that produce hormones and exocrine cells that produce digestive enzymes. The endocrine aspect involves the islets of Langerhans where different cells secrete hormones like insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. Insulin, produced by beta cells and glucagon produced by alpha cells, are crucial for regulating blood glucose levels. On the other hand, the exocrine function of the pancreas is carried out by acinar cells. These cells secrete digestive enzymes into the pancreatic ducts which in turn, release these enzymes into the small intestine to aid in the digestion of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.