Functional anatomy of the pancreas Flashcards
What are the 2 types of secretions
Exocrine, endocrine
What substances are included under ‘endocrine’ secretions, and what are they produced by?
Insulin, glucagon produced by Islets of langerhans
What organ is the pancreas connected to, and by what structure?
To the duodenum, by ducts
What is the name of the main pancreatic duct? what duct does it join, and how does it enter the duodenum?
‘Duct of ventral primordium’, joins the bile duct (of the liver) and enters the duodenum together at the major duodenal papilla.
What is the name of the accessory pancreatic duct, and where does it enter the duodenum?
Duct of dorsal primordium, connects to the duodenum via the minor duodenal papilla
What arteries supply the pancreas?
Coeliac, cranial mesenteric
Is the pancreas innervated by the parasympathetic (vagal) fibres, sympathetic fibres, or both?
Both, meaning both ‘fight/ flight’ and ‘rest/ digest’ have effects on the pancreas
What vein supplies the pancreas with nutrient rich blood, and what is the circulatory term for this?
Portal vein, ‘venous blood’
What type of gland is the pancreas?
Compound acinus
What state of eating are zymogen granules more common within pyramidal epithelial cells?
Fasting
What enzymes are contained in zymogen granules?
Digestive enzymes
What cells bound the small duct which the acinus flows into?
Centroacinar cells
What duct do the small ducts (from the acini) drain into?
Intralobular (intercalated) duct
What epithelia lines the intralobular duct, how does this vary with the size of the duct?
Begins with low columnar epithelia, as the duct gets larger, the cells become taller
What epithelia is located in interlobular ducts?
Stratified cuboidal
What unicellular gland do pancreatic ducts contain?
Goblet cells
What type of cells make up the Islet of langerhans, and how are they distributed in the pancreas?
Masses of endocrine cells that are scattered throughout the exocrine pancreas.
What is the vascularity of the endocrine cells (of the pancreas), why?
High vascularity as the secretions are transported via blood as they have no ducts
There are 4 types of cells within this endocrine pancreas, name them and outline which are nongranular, and which are.
Alpha cells (A) (granular)
Beta cells (B) (granular)
Nongranular (C cells)
Delta cells (D) (granular)
What hormone do Alpha (A) cells produce, and what is its effect?
Glucagon
Increase blood glucose by promoting glycogen breakdown in the liver
What hormone to Beta (B) cells produce, and what is its effect?
Insulin
Lowers blood glucose by promoting update of glucose and storing as glycogen
What hormone do Delta (D) cells produce, and what is its effect?
Somatostatin
Inhibits B/A cell hormone production