Pancreas Pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdominal cavity behind the stomach. The pancreas is a mixed gland, having both an endocrine and an exocrine function. As an endocrine gland, it secretes into the blood several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide. As an exocrine gland, it secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct. This juice contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes acid entering the duodenum from the stomach; and digestive enzymes, which break down carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in ingested
Uropygial gland nine families of birds lack a uropygial gland, mostly the ones unable to fly or the ones that produce powder down for feather maintenance. These include kiwis ("Apterygidae"), emu ("Dromaiidae"), ostriches ("Struthionidae"), rheas ("Rheidae"), cassowaries ("Casuariidae"), mesites ("Mesitornithidae"), bustards ("Otididae"), pigeons and doves ("Columbidae"), amazon parrots ("Psittacidae"), frogmouths ("Podargidae"), and woodpeckers ("Picidae"). These birds typically find other means to stay clean and dry, such as taking a dust bath. Researchers have been unable to correlate the presence or absence of the uropygial gland with factors such as distribution, climate, ecology, or flightlessness. The uropygial gland secretes an oil (preen oil)