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60. Pancreatic Juice

 It is a clear, colorless liquid that consists mostly of water, some salts, sodium
bicarbonate and multiple enzymes for digesting of the three major types of food:
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (pancreatic amylase. trypsin, chymotrypsin,
carboxypeptidase, pancreatic lipase, ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease) but
trypsin is more abundant.
 The 2 important components of pancreatic juice, bicarbonate ions and water, are
secreted mainly by the epithelial cells of the ductules and ducts that lead from the
acini. Bicarbonate ions play an important role in neutralizing the acidity of the
Chyme emptied from the stomach into the duodenum.
 The protein-digesting enzymes are produced by the pancreatic acini in the inactive
form to prevent them from digesting the pancreas itself.
 Pancreatic juice is secreted most abundantly in response to the presence of Chyme
in the upper portions of the small intestine
Function

 Trypsin and chymotrypsin split whole and partially digested proteins into peptides of
various sizes but do not cause release of individual amino acids
 carboxypolypeptidase splits some peptides into individual amino acids
 Pancreatic amylase, which hydrolyses starches, glycogen, and most other
carbohydrates (except cellulose) to form mostly disaccharides and a few tri
saccharides.
 For Fat;
Pancreatic lipase, which is capable of hydrolysing neutral fat into fatty acids
and monoglycerides
Cholesterol esterase, which causes hydrolysis of cholesterol ester
Phospholipase, which splits fatty acids from phospholipids.

Regulation
Regulation of secretion is done through both nervous and hormonal control
3 basic stimuli
1. Acetylcholine, which is released from the parasympathetic Vagus nerve endings and
from other cholinergic nerves in the enteric nervous system
2. Cholecystokinin, which is secreted by the duodenal and upper jejunal mucosa when
food enters the small intestine
3. Secretin, which is also secreted by the duodenal and jejunal mucosa when highly
acid food enters the small intestine
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1 and 2 stimulate acinar cells hence

increasing enzyme production
whereas 3 stimulates ductal
epithelium to increase water and
bicarbonate secretion.