What is the function of the pancreas in digestion?

• A. To store bile
• B. To regulate water balance
• C. To produce digestive enzymes and bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid
• D. To absorb nutrients directly

Answer: (C)

Digestive function of the pancreas centers on providing the tools the small intestine needs to break down food: digestive enzymes and bicarbonate. It releases enzymes such as amylase to break down carbohydrates, proteases like trypsin and chymotrypsin to digest proteins, and lipase to handle fats. These enzymes flow into the small intestine through the pancreatic duct. At the same time, the pancreas secretes bicarbonate, which neutralizes the acidic chyme that comes from the stomach. This neutralization creates a more alkaline environment, enabling the enzymes to work effectively and protecting the intestinal lining.

Storing bile is the job of the gallbladder, not the pancreas. Regulating water balance is handled mainly by the kidneys and intestinal processes, not by pancreatic secretion. Absorbing nutrients directly happens in the small intestine, not in the pancreas. So the pancreas supports digestion by producing these enzymes and bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid.