13 Endocrine Pancreas Flashcards
Where does the pancreas sit in the body?
How does the pancreas develop?
=Large gland
=Outgrowth of foregut (embryologically)
What are the 2 functions of the pancreas?
- Exocrine: Produce digestive enzymes secreted directly into duodenum- alkaline secretions via pancreatic duct to duodenum
- Endocrine: Hormone production- from islets of Langerhans
What % of the pancreas as a whole is exocrine and what % is endocrine?
Endocrine= 1%
Exocrine= 99%
What are the arrows in the following diagram showing?
Islets of langerhans
Describe the blood supply to the Islets of Langerhans.
Blood supply= in close proximity
Name the 7 polypeptide hormones secreted by the pancreas and the islet cells that release them:
Complete the missing gaps in the following table:
Name a tissue that is very sensitive to plasma glucose.
The brain
What levels should glucose be at?
Normal: 3.3-6 mmol/L
After a meal: 7-8 mmol/L
Renal threshold: 10 mmol/L
How would a patients urine be described if the renal threshold was exceeded?
Glycosuria
How are insulin and glucogon carried in the blood?
Water soluble hormones- carried dissolved in plasma
Short half-life: 5mins
How do insulin and glucagon carry out their function?
- Interact with cell surface receptors on target cells
- Receptor with hormone bone can be internalised- inactivation
Why is insulin ‘anti-gluconeogenic’?
(it is also anti-lipolytic and anti-ketogenic)
- At high dosage
- –> lowers incorporation of pyruvate into blood glucose
- –> stimulates pyruvates incorporation into liver glycogen
What is the polypeptide structure of insulin?
Big peptide with alpha helix structure