Pancreas Structure/Function

Question 1

describe the embryological origin of the pancreas

Answer 1

froms from ventral (hepatic diverticulum) and dorsal (foregut) buds in week 5
dorsal pancreas grows laterally into mesentery (neck/body/tail) intraperitoneally
buds and ducts align and fuse (week 7)

Question 2

describe some developmental anomalies of the pancreas

Answer 2

pancreatic divisum (10% of population)
failure of ventral/dorsal duct fusion

annular pancreas (rare)
ring of pancreatic tissue wrapped around duodenum

pancreatic rest (1-2%)
ectopic pancreatic tissue, predominantly gastric/SI tissue

Question 3

explain the anatomical relations of the stomach

Answer 3

anterior - stomach separated by lesser sac
posterior - R renal artery. L/R renal veins, aorta, IVC, HPV, SM vessels, L kidney/adrenal gland, splenic vein
superior - splenic artery
lateral - spleen
medial - duodenum

Question 4

describe the arterial supply of the pancreas

Answer 4

head - PD arcade (from gastroduodenal and SM)
tail - splenic artery (magna, caudal and dorsal pancreatic)

Question 5

describe the venous drainage of the pancreas

Answer 5

body/tail - splenic
head/uncinate - HPV and SMV

Question 6

explain the lymphatic drainage of the pancreas

Answer 6

ring of nodes (N1) adjacent to pancreas drain gland secretions
N1 -> axial nodes (coeliac, aorta, SMA)

Question 7

explain the nervous supply and function of the pancreas

Answer 7

autonomic/parasymp - vagus:
- stimulates exocrine secretion (acinus)
- pancreatic fluid/insulin/glucagon release

symp - splanchnic (T5-12):
- vasoconstriction and inhibition of exocrine secretion
- stimulates glucagon, inhibits insulin

Question 8

briefly describe the histological structure of the pancreas

Answer 8

acinar cell buds attaching to pancreatic ducts (exocrine)
islets of langerhans (endocrine) not attached to glands