Human digestive system gland in the digestive system. It is both an endocrine gland and an exocrine gland. The endocrine part secretes insulin when the blood sugar becomes high; insulin moves glucose from the blood into the muscles and other tissues for use as energy. The endocrine part releases glucagon when the blood sugar is low; glucagon allows stored sugar to be broken down into glucose by the liver in order to re-balance the sugar levels. The pancreas produces and releases important digestive enzymes in the pancreatic juice that it delivers to the duodenum. The pancreas lies below and at the back of
Adrenocortical hormone and increased blood potassium levels caused by a deficiency of aldosterone. These electrolyte imbalances induce nerve and muscle issues. Other symptoms include fatigue, salt cravings, weight loss, and increased skin pigmentation. Increased skin pigmentation is caused by a deficiency of the adrenocortical hormone hydrocortisone. Its normal behavior would be as negative feedback at the pituitary gland, stimulating the pituitary gland to decrease secretion of corticotropin. Because hydrocortisone is not able to be produced in Addison’s disease, the pituitary gland continues to secrete corticotropin which binds to the receptor for melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It then causes melanocytes to produce more pigment, thus