Pancreas

pancreas Along,flattened,irregularlyshaped,fragileaccessorydigestivegland,
lyingbehindthestomachandbetweentheduodunumandthespleen;itsparenchyma
consistsprimarilyofexocrineacinarcellsdrainedbythepancreaticductsystem,but
interspersedamongthemaresmallroundcollectionsofendocrinecells(alpha,beta,
and delta cells) termed islets; the acinar cells secrete an enzymerich alkaline
pancreaticjuiceintotheduodenumwhiletheisletcellssecreteinsulin(alphacells),
glucagon(betacells),andsomatostatin(deltacells)intothebloodstream.

pancreaticduct Themajorexcretoryductofthepancreas,composedofasimple
cuboidalepithelium,bywhichpancreaticjuiceissecretedintotheduodenumatthe
hepatopancreaticampulla.

hepatopancreaticampulla Thegobletshapeddilatation(expansion)oftheducts
coming from the liver and gall bladder (common bile duct) and the pancreas
(pancreatic duct) at the point (major duodenal papilla) where they enter the
duodenum.

major duodenal papilla A nodular protuberance on the medial wall of the

duodenumthroughwhichthecommonbileductandpancreaticductexpelbileand
pancreatic juice respectively into the duodenum by way of the hepatopancreatic
ampullatoaidintheprocessesofdigestion.

accessoryduct Avariableductofthepancreas,composedofasimplecuboidal
epithelium, which branches from the main pancreatic duct and opens into the
duodenumaboveitattheminorduodenalpapilla

pancreaticaciniThemajorityofpancreatictissuewhichisexocrinetissuecollected
intoacomplexsystemofsecretorycellclusters(acini)attachedtothepancreaticduct
system;theacinarcellssecreteavarietyofdigestiveenzymesintothepancreaticjuice
whichistransportedtotheduodenum.

pancreaticjuice Theclearalkalinesecretionofpancreas,consistingof enzymes

(e.g., pancreatic amylase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidase, elastase,
pancreaticlipase,ribonuclease,deoxyribonuclease,etc.)producedbytheacinarcells
andanalkalinemucusfluidsecretedbythepancreaticductalcellswhichflowsviathe
pancreaticductsystemtotheduodenumandcontinuesthechemicaldigestionoffood
alreadyactedonbythegastricjuiceandsaliva.

pancreaticislets=IsletsofLangerhansAnyofseveralmassesofendocrinecells
inthepancreasincludingalphacellswhichsecretetheproteinhormoneglucagon,
betacellswhichsecretetheproteinhormoneinsulin,anddeltacellswhichsecretethe
proteinhormonesomatostatin.

pancreaticamylase Theenzymepresentinpancreaticjuicewhichcatalyzesthe
hydrolysisofstarchtosugartoproducecarbohydratederivativesintheduodenum;
elevatedserumpancreaticamylaselevelsareassociatedwithpancreatitisandmany
otherabdominaldisorders.

trypsinogen Theinactiveprecursoroftrypsin,producedbythepancreaticacinar
cellsandconvertedtotrypsininthesmallintestinebytheintestinalbrushborder
enzymeenterokinase.

trypsin The pancreatic proteolytic enzyme which catalyzes the hydrolysis of

proteinsandlargepeptidesintosmalleroligopeptideunitsinthesmallintestine;it
actsonthebreakdownproductsofthegastricdigestionofproteinsbypepsin;itis
secretedbytheacinarcellsintheformofaninactiveprecursor,trypsinogen.

chymotrypsinThepancreaticproteolyticenzymewhichcatalyzesthehydrolysisof
peptidesintosmalleroligopeptidesintosmallpeptidesandaminoacidsinthesmall
intestine; it is secreted by the acinar cells in the form of an inactive precursor,
chymotrypsinogen.

carboxypeptidase The pancreatic proteolytic enzyme which catalyzes the

hydrolysisoftheterminalaminoacidofapolypeptideorpeptidefromtheCterminal
end(whichcontainsafreecarboxylicacidgroup)inthesmallintestine;twoforms
exist,AandB;theyaresecretedbytheacinarcellsintheformofinactiveprecursors,
procarboxypeptidase.

elastaseThepancreaticproteolyticenzymewhichcatalyzesthehydrolysisofelastin
(andcollagen)inthesmallintestine.

pancreatic lipase The enzyme present in pancreatic juice which catalyzes the
hydrolysisofneutralfats(mono,di,andtriglycerides)intoglycerolandfreefatty
acidsintheduodenum;elevatedserumpancreaticlipaselevelsareassociatedwith
pancreatitisandsomeotherabdominaldisorders.

ribonucleaseTheenzymepresentinpancreaticjuicewhichcatalyzesthehydrolysis
ofRNA(ribonucleicacids)intoconstituentribonucleotidesinthesmallintestine.aka
RNase.

deoxyribonuclease The enzyme present in pancreatic juice which catalyzes the

hydrolysisofDNA(deoxyribonucleicacids)intoconstituentribonucleotidesinthe
smallintestine.akaDNase.

List:
18.thefunctionsofthepancreas.
(1) provides some bicarbonate ions to assist in buffering acidic chyme
transferredfromthestomachtotheduodenum
(2)synthesizesandsecretesaseriesofdigestiveenzymeswhichassistinthe
digestionofallmajornutrientclasses (carbohydrates,proteins,lipids,andnucleic
acids)
(3)synthesizesandsecretesglucagonandinsulinwhichcooperatetoregulate
plasmaglucoselevelsand,therefore,certainothercellularaspectsofmetabolism,and
whichcontrolthetransitionsbetweentheabsorptiveandpostabsorptivestates

Describe:
5.howpancreaticsecretion(endocrine)isregulated.
Pancreaticisletcellsrespondtoautoregulation. Pancreaticisletcellsmonitor
plasmaglucoselevels. Ifplasmaglucoselevelsrise,e.g.,aftertheabsorptionofa
meal,thenbetacellswillreleasemoreinsulinintothebloodstream;ifplasmaglucose
levelsfall,thenalphacellswillreleasemoreglucagonintothebloodstream.
6.howpancreaticsecretion(exocrine)isregulated.
The stimuli that trigger increased pancreatic exocrine secretion are (1) the
presenceofanacidicchymeintheduodenumand(2)thepresenceoffattyacidsand
aminoacidsinthechymeintheduodenum. Thesestimuliproducethreedifferent
regulatoryfeedbackactionstostimulateincreasedpancreaticexocrinesecretion:(a)
autoregulationinvolvinglocalhormoneswithintheheadofthepancreas;(b)release
ofCCK(cholecystokinin)andsecretinfromenteroendocrinecellsinthewallsofthe
duodenum [Note: CCKstimulatesdigestiveenzymesecretionbypancreaticacinar
cells while secretin stimulates bicarbonate ions and mucous secretions from the
pancreaticductcells.];and(c)autonomicparasympatheticimpulses,deliveredviathe
vagusnerve(X),whichincreasepancreaticsecretions.