Pancreas Facts for Kids

A Picture the Human Pancreas
  • Organ Name: Pancreas
  • Organ Location: Upper left abdomen
  • Organ System: Digestive System
  • Organ Purpose: Regulate blood sugar levels
  • Organ Weight: Between 1.4 and 6.1 ounces
  • Organ Length: About 6 inches

12 Pancreas Facts for Kids

  1. The pancreas is an organ that has a flat pear-like shape.
  2. The pancreas is part of the human digestive system and endocrine system.
  3. The primary function of the pancreas is to regulate blood sugar levels and metabolism.
  4. The pancreas also aids digestion by secreting a variety of enzymes (pancreatic juice).
  5. The pancreas can be found in the upper left abdomen area, behind the stomach.
  6. Diabetes type 1 is a disease that is caused by a pancreas that produces little to no insulin.
  7. Diabetes type 2 is a disease that is caused by insulin resistance, high blood sugar and an overall lack of insulin.
  8. People with diabetes need to watch what they eat and take insulin regularly.
  9. A healthy pancreas from a deceased human can be transplanted into another human with type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease.
  10. A human can live without their pancreas but would have to take insulin to regulate their blood sugar and enzyme supplements to support digestion.
  11. The Greek anatomist and surgeon Herophilus was the first person to identify the pancreas.
  12. The Greek anatomist Rufus of Ephesus was the person who gave the pancreas its name, which was a few hundred years after it was first identified by Herophilus.

Additional Resources About the Human Pancreas

  • How the Pancreas Works – Read about the pancreas and learn what it does in the human body on the NCBI website.
  • Pancreas Facts – Find more useful pacreas facts by reading this article on the LiveScience website.
  • Pancreatic Diseases – Learn about the diseases and disorders that affect the pancreas on the MedlinePlus website.
  • Pancreas – Wikipedia – Discover more interesting facts about the pancreas on the Wikipedia website.

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