(4) The pancreas has two mainfunctions: an exocrine functionthat helps in digestion andan endocrine function thatregulates blood sugar. The pancreascontains exocrine glandsthat produce enzymes importantto digestion. The endocrinecomponent of the pancreasconsists of islet cells thatcreate and release importanthormones directly into thebloodstream. Two of the mainpancreatic hormones are insulin,which acts to lower bloodsugar, and glucagon, whichacts to raise blood sugar.