Pancreas

The pancreas is an organ capable of secreting hormones in both endocrine and exocrine fashion. It has several macroscopic parts - head, uncinate processus, neck, body and tail.

Structure

Pancreatic Duct

• It begins at the tail and joins the bile duct at the head, forming the Ampulla of Vater.
• The Ampulla of Vater enters the descending part of the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla.
• The accessory pancreatic duct enters the duodenum through the minor duodenal papilla.

Islets of Langerhans

The Islets are a group of cells that create and store the hormones:-

• Alpha cells – glucagon.
• Beta cells – insulin.
• Delta cells – somatostatin.

 For more information see Pancreatic Hormones.

Syntopy

Pancreas lies in retroperitoneal space. The head of the pancreas lies next to the duodenum. From the lower part of the head is the uncinate process, which passes posteriorly to the superior mesenteric vessels . The neck is anterior to the superior mesenteric vessels. The portal vein behind the neck is formed by the superior mesenteric and splenic vein. The tail passes between the layers of the spleno-renal ligament.

Arterial supply

• supply of the upper half of pancreas – superior pancreaticoduodenal artery from truncus coeliacus
• supply of the lower half – inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery from superior mesenteric artery

Links

Related Articles

• Pancreatic Cancer
• Pancreatic Hormones
• Gallbladder and Extrahepatic Bile Ducts

Bibliography

SNELL, Richard S. Clinical Anatomy by Regions. 8th Edition edition. 2004. ISBN 978-0-7817-6404-9.