3 Accessory Organs

Working with the small intestine, there are three essential accessory organs that work in conjunction to the small intestine to help absorb nutrients. The first is the pancreas. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. These enzymes are meant to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The pancreas is also responsible for making insulin, which is secreted into the blood. Insulin helps to regulate and monitor are blood sugar content. The next accessory organ is the liver. The liver is mainly used to absorb nutrients from the small intestine and releasing bile into the small intestine. The liver takes materials absorbed by the intestine to make all the chemicals the body needs to function. It also helps to detoxify our body …show more content…
After a meal is eaten and it has passed down the esophagus into the stomach, where that meal is further digested and then sent into the small intestine. Inside the small intestine, absorption of the food occurs. This causes an increase in glucose levels. The increased glucose levels in the blood stimulate beta cells, which are located in the pancreas, so that insulin can be produced. When the insulin is released, the liver is triggered. As a result, the muscle and fat cells absorb the glucose. As glucose is absorbed, the glucose levels increase. Once the Glucose levels are back to the set point the stimulus for the release of insulin stops, causing the beta cells to stop releasing insulin. This part of the negative feedback loop is when there is a high presence of glucose, usually from a high-carb meal or indulging in desserts, that has insulin lower the glucose level back to the set point or homeostasis. A similar process, but opposite occurs when one has not eaten food or is fasting. When the blood glucose level falls below the set point range because you skipped lunch it detected by the Alpha cells in the pancreas. The glucagon senses that there is a low blood glucose level. The brain detects and tells the glucagon to release into the body and go to the liver. When the glucagon is by the liver, the liver is stimulated by the glucagon to convert glycogen into glucose, so that the body can use the glucose (glycogen is the glucose that is stored when there is excess glucose in the bloodstream). This allows for the blood glucose level to rise because the liver’s glucagon transforms the glycogen to convert into glucose so that the body can use the glucose. As the glucose is rising, the amount of glucagon slowly reduces to a point where the blood glucose level is back to normal at the set point and glycogen from the liver is inhibited from