Pancreas Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are the functions of the pancreas?
- Exocrine gland:
- secretes chemicals (enzymes) into the digestive system
- protease, lipase, nuclease, amylase - Endocrine gland:
- secretes hormones into blood
- insulin and glucagon (control blood sugar)
What are the 4 enzymes secreted by the pancreas, and their functions?
Protease:
- digest proteins
Amylase:
- digests starch
Nuclease:
- digests nucleic acids
Lipase:
- digests emulsified fats
What are the 4 anatomical components of the pancreas?
Head:
- expanded part of the gland
- attached to medial aspect of D2 and D3
- bile duct situated in a groove superior / posterior to head
- uncinate process: lower part of head that projects upwards to the left
Neck:
- short region (2cm) between head and body
- anterior: groove for gastsroduodenal a
- posterior: union of SMV and splenic v forming portal vein
Body:
- crosses aorta at level of L2
- anteriorly: covered with peritoneum
Tail:
- anterior to left kidney, and closely related to hilum of spleen and left colic flexure
- passes between layers of splenorenal peritoneal lig.
Describe the location and anatomy of the pancreas:
Location:
- 15cm long
- in epigastric and left hypochondriac regions
- runs transversely behind stomach, between duodenum and spleen
- head attached to medial aspect of D2 and D3
- tail anterior to left kidney, and closely related to hilum of spleen and left colic flexure
- retroperitoneal
What are the 2 ducts of the pancreas?
Main pancreatic duct:
- begins in tail and runs through the pancreas to the head
- unites with bile duct to form hepatopancreatic ampulla
- opens into D2 as major duodenal papilla
Accessory pancreatic duct:
- drains infeior part of head
- opens into duodenum at minor duodenal papilla
- in most people communicates with main pancreatic duct
What are the 3 sphincters of the pancreas?
Sphincter of pancreatic duct:
- around terminal part of main pancreatic duct
Sphincter of bile duct:
- around terminal part of bile duct
Hepatopancreatic sphincter:
- ie: sphincter of Oddi
- around hepatopancreatic ampulla
- controls entry of bile and pancreatic enzymes into D2
(sphincters are closed when no digestion is occurring)
What is the arterial supply of the pancreas?
- mainly branches of the splenic a (from celiac trunk)
- anterieor and posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal a (from gastroduodenal a, from celiac trunk)
- anterior and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal a (from SMA)
What are the 3 arteries that give branches to the pancreas?
SMA
- anterior and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal a
Splenic (from celiac trunk):
- pancreatic branches
Gastroduodenal (from celiac trunk):
- anterior and posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal a
What is the nerve supply of the pancreas?
PNS: CNX Vagus
SNS: abdominopelvic splanchnic nerves (T5-9) via celiac ganglion
What is the venous drainage of the pancreas?
Pancreatic veins
- most drain into splenic
- some drain into SMV
Describe the histology of the exocrine portion of the pancreas:
Acinar cells:
- make up bulk of pancreas
- possess abundant rough ER
- contain zymogen granules (inactive enzymes)
Pancreatic juice:
- enzyme rich juice secreted by acinar cells
- secteted into duodenum via biliary tree
Describe the histology of the endocrine portion of the pancreas:
Pancreatic islets:
- scattered among acinar cells
- contain hormone producing cells
- secrete insulin and glucagon into bloodstream
Describe the histology of the endocrine portion of the pancreas:
Pancreatic islets:
- scattered among acinar cells
- contain hormone producing cells
- secrete insulin and glucagon into bloodstream
