To digest a meal, these zymogens are released into the pancreatic duct, and delivered to the small intestine where they are activated by the protease trypsin.
Now, to prevent the hydrochloric acid from the stomach from damaging the intestinal mucosa, enteroendocrine cells also secrete another hormone, called secretin, which stimulates the pancreatic duct cells to secrete water and bicarbonate.
When the pancreatic acinar cells are damaged or the the pancreatic ducts are blocked, often because of alcohol abuse or gallstones, the inactive zymogens that the pancreas produces can be prematurely converted to active digestive enzymes.