What does the pancreas do?

The simplest answer is that the pancreas consists of two different components which reside intermixed with each other throughout the entire gland. The endocrine portion of the pancreas is made up of special Islet Cells which make hormones such as insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar levels. The endocrine secretions are released into the bloodstream. The exocrine or digestive portion of the pancreas makes digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and various proteases which are secreted into the intestinal tract to digest starch, fat, and protein, respectively.