Question

The pancreas is a large _______ gland.
A) A brown
B) Cream coloured
C) A reddish brown
D) A reddish

Answer 1

Hint: Pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen, behind the stomach. It is a very important organ which exhibits both exocrine and endocrine functions.

Complete answer:
The pancreas is a very important part of the digestive system. It is not a part of the alimentary canal but is attached very close to it and supplies the duodenum with enzymes for the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins. The pancreas also functions as an endocrine organ and secretes the hormone insulin which helps in maintaining the amount of sugar in the body.

The location of pancreas in the abdomen is behind the stomach. This cream colored digestive gland is not the only external gland which supplies the duodenum with enzymes, the liver also plays its role by supplying the duodenum with bile which is essential for the emulsification of fats. The juices from the liver and the pancreas enter the duodenum through a common duct called the hepato-pancreatic duct.

Now, let us look at each option one by one.
>The brown colour is usually observed in the liver. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
>Cream colour is the most common shade for organs in the human body and pancreas also exhibits this colour. Therefore this is the correct option.
>The reddish brown shade is observed in the kidneys. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
>The red colour is observed in the heart. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B) cream coloured.

Note:People who suffer from pancreatic cancer often get diagnosed late due to rarely expressing and mostly unidentifiable symptoms. As a result, these people might have to get their pancreas surgically removed. In this case, the body loses the ability to synthesize the hormone insulin and the individual becomes diabetic. These individuals have to depend on insulin shots for the rest of their lives in order to maintain their body sugar levels.