Question

   A piece of thread was tied tightly around an animal's pancreatic duct. The animal subsequently had difficulty in digesting food but did not get diabetes. Explain.

Answer 1

When a piece of thread is tightly tied around an animal’s pancreatic duct, the pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes will not be able to reach the small intestine. The pancreatic juice contains enzymes which help in the digestion of food. In its absence (due to the blockage of the pancreatic duct), the animal would have difficulty in digesting certain food substances.

However, the pancreas being an endocrine gland releases insulin directly into the blood. Since, the main function of insulin is to maintain the blood sugar level in the body, the animal will not suffer from diabetes