Pancreas

Question 1

1. How long is the pancreas

Answer 1

10-15cm long

Question 2

2. What is the endocrine portion of the pancreas

Answer 2

cells in the Islets of Langerhans

Question 3

3. What do cells in islets of Langerhans do?

Answer 3

synthesis, store and secrete hormones insulin, glucagon and somatostatin.

Question 4

4. How is the exocrine portion of the pancreas arranged

Answer 4

arranged in ellipsoidal acini

Question 5

5. What are the ellipsoidal acini and acinar cells in the pancreas responsible for?

Answer 5

responsible for synthesis, storage and secretion of digestive enzymes and bicarbonate-rich fluids.

Question 6

What are acini?

Answer 6

clusters of secretory cells that surround ducts

Question 7

7. What do acini contain

Answer 7

Contain:
- extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum
- ribosomes
- zymogen granules

Question 8

8. What do acini manufacture and produce

Answer 8

Manufacture digestive enzymes & produce enzyme-rich pancreatic juice

Question 9

9. What do small duct epithelial cells secrete

Answer 9

secrete a watery, bicarbonate rich fluid

Question 10

10. What is pancreatic juice made of

Answer 10

Mainly water, as well as enzymes, electrolytes and bicarbonate ions

Question 11

11. What different enzymes does pancreatic juice contain

Answer 11

Pancreatic alpha-amylase, Pancreatic lipase, Nucleases and Proteolytic enzymes

Question 12

12. What does pancreatic alpha amylase do

Answer 12

breaks down starch

Question 13

13. What does pancreatic lipase do?

Answer 13

breaks down complex lipids to fatty acids

Question 14

15. What do proteolytic enzymes do

Answer 14

break down protein complexes and peptide chains

Question 15

19. what are the main proenzymes

Answer 15

Trypsinogen
Chymotrypsinogen
Procarboxypeptidase
Proelastase

Question 16

21. what do peptidases do

Answer 16

break small peptide chains into individual amino acids

Question 17

22. explain how pancreatic proenzymes are activated

Answer 17

1. Enteropeptidase secreted by the duodenal mucosa
2. Secretory vesicles in acinar cells pack trypsinogen with an inhibitor, stopping autodigestion
3. Once it reaches the duodenum, inhibitor is diluted and trypsin converts other proenzymes to their active forms

Question 18

25. what does secretin stimulate

Answer 18

stimulates the production of ‘watery’ alkaline juice from duct cells

Question 19

26. what does CCK stimulate

Answer 19

CCK stimulates enzyme release from acinar cells

Question 20

29. how is acute pancreatitis characterised

Answer 20

characterised by acinar cell damage and autodigestion

Question 21

30. how is chronic pancreatitis characterised

Answer 21

characterised by repeated bouts of mild to moderate inflammation.

Question 22

31. what does chronic pancreatitis result in

Answer 22

results in a cumulative loss of parenchyma which is replaced with fibrous tissue