Interactions between the Exocrine and the Endocrine Pancreas
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Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Isolating and Analyzing Cells of the Pancreas Mesenchyme by Flow Cytometry
Published on: January 28, 2017
Roberto Valente1,2, Alessandro Coppola3, Chiara Maria Scandavini1
1Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery, Umeå University, 90185 Umeå, Sweden.
Abstract:
The pancreas has two main functions: to produce and secrete digestive enzymes (exocrine function) and to produce hormones that regulate blood glucose and splanchnic secretion (endocrine function). The endocrine and exocrine portions of the pancreas are central regulators in digestion and metabolism, with continuous crosstalk between their deeply interconnected components, which plays a role in disease. Pancreatic neoplasms, inflammation, trauma, and surgery can lead to the development of type 3c diabetes when an insult simultaneously damages both acini and islets, leading to exocrine and endocrine dysfunction. In diabetes mellitus patients, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is highly prevalent, yet little is known about the associations between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic exocrine function. This review aims to provide an overview of the physiology of the pancreas, summarize the pathophysiology and diagnostic work-up of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, and explore the relationships between exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and diabetes mellitus.
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