Pancreas Gland

Question 1

Describe the structure and location of the pancreas.

Answer 1

divided into a head, body, and tail

upper left abdomen behind the stomach

Question 2

Distinguish between the endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas.

Answer 2

Endocrine: Part of endocrine system, it releases hormones into the bloodstream

Exocrine: Part of digestive system, it releases digestive enzymes into ducts

Question 3

Identify the four types of pancreatic islet cells and the endocrine hormone each type of cell produces.

Answer 3

alpha (α): glucagon
beta (β): insulin.
delta (δ): somatostatin
gamma (γ): pancreatic polypeptide

Question 4

What is pancreatitis? What are the possible causes and effects of pancreatitis?

Answer 4

Inflammation of the pancreas

Causes:
Gallstones, chronic alcohol use, infections

Effects:
pancreatic digestive enzymes damage the gland’s tissues, causing problems with fat digestion

Question 5

Describe the incidence, prognosis, and risk factors of cancer of the endocrine tissues of the pancreas

Answer 5

Incidence: Rare, but raising sharply
Prognosis (Signs):
Risks: smoking, chronic pancreatitis, and diabetes

Question 6

Compare and contrast type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Answer 6

Both:
- Caused by body not receiving enough insulin
- Insulin injections is a type of treatment

Type 1:
- immune system attacks the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas
- insulin injections are critical for survival

Type 2:
- insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion
- insulin injections are not critical for survival

Question 7

If the alpha islet cells of the pancreas were damaged to the point that they no longer functioned, how would this affect blood glucose levels? Would the administration of insulin be more likely to help or hurt the condition? Explain your answer.

Answer 7

Alpha is responsible for secreting glucagon to increase glucose in the bloodstream.

If damaged, glucose levels would decrease.

Administering insulin would further hurt the condition since it decreases levels of glucose in blood.

Question 8

Explain how the pancreas is able to regulate the production of its own endocrine hormones, to some extent.

Answer 8

The pancreas has pancreatic islets, which can produce its own hormones and has direct contact with the blood stream it can secrete into.

Question 9

True or False. The pancreas is part of both the digestive system and the endocrine system.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Give an example of how the pancreas can regulate the production of hormones from the pituitary gland.

Answer 10

Somatostatin secreted from the pancreas can start or stop the pituitary gland from producing growth hormone.

Question 11

Which is the most common form of diabetes mellitus?

Answer 11

Type 2

Question 12

Explain why diabetes causes excessive thirst.

Answer 12

The body is trying to flush excess glucose out of the blood by causing the kidneys to excrete more urine.

The person then gets thirsty, signaling them to drink more to replace the lost water.

Question 13

Damage to __________ is the underlying cause of many of the long term consequences of diabetes.
A. the adrenal gland
B. gamma islet cells
C. blood vessels
D. the pituitary gland

Answer 13

C. blood vessels