PANCREAS

Question 1

Pancreas

Answer 1

• spongy retroperitoneal gland posterior to the greater curvature of the stomach
• measure 12 to 15 cm long, and 2.5 cm thick
• has head encircled by duodenum, body, midportion, and a tail on the left

Question 2

Endocrine and exocrine gland

Answer 2

1. Endocrine portion—pancreatic islets that secrete insulin and glucagon
2. Exocrine portion—99% of pancreas that secretes 1,200 to 1,500 mL of pancreatic juice per day

–Secretory acini release their secretion into small ducts that converge on the main pancreatic duct

Question 3

Pancreatic duct

Answer 3

runs lengthwise through the middle of the gland

joins the bile duct at the hepatopancreatic ampulla

hepatopancreatic sphincter controls release of both bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum

Question 4

Accessory pancreatic duct

Answer 4

smaller duct that branches from the main pancreatic duct

opens independently into the duodenum

bypasses the sphincter and allows pancreatic juice to be released into duodenum

Question 5

Pancreatic juice

Answer 5

alkaline mixture of water, enzymes, zymogens, sodium bicarbonate, and other electrolytes

acini secrete the enzymes and zymogens

ducts secrete bicarbonate–bicarbonate buffers HCl arriving from the stomach

Question 6

Other pancreatic enzymes

Answer 6

pancreatic amylase: digests starch

pancreatic lipase: digests fat

ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease: digest RNA and DNA respectively