Exocrine pancreas

Jump to navigation Jump to search


Overview

WikiDoc Resources for Exocrine pancreas

Articles

Most recent articles on Exocrine pancreas

Most cited articles on Exocrine pancreas

Review articles on Exocrine pancreas

Articles on Exocrine pancreas in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Exocrine pancreas

Images of Exocrine pancreas

Photos of Exocrine pancreas

Podcasts & MP3s on Exocrine pancreas

Videos on Exocrine pancreas

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Exocrine pancreas

Bandolier on Exocrine pancreas

TRIP on Exocrine pancreas

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Exocrine pancreas at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Exocrine pancreas

Clinical Trials on Exocrine pancreas at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Exocrine pancreas

NICE Guidance on Exocrine pancreas

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Exocrine pancreas

CDC on Exocrine pancreas

Books

Books on Exocrine pancreas

News

Exocrine pancreas in the news

Be alerted to news on Exocrine pancreas

News trends on Exocrine pancreas

Commentary

Blogs on Exocrine pancreas

Definitions

Definitions of Exocrine pancreas

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Exocrine pancreas

Discussion groups on Exocrine pancreas

Patient Handouts on Exocrine pancreas

Directions to Hospitals Treating Exocrine pancreas

Risk calculators and risk factors for Exocrine pancreas

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Exocrine pancreas

Causes & Risk Factors for Exocrine pancreas

Diagnostic studies for Exocrine pancreas

Treatment of Exocrine pancreas

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Exocrine pancreas

International

Exocrine pancreas en Espanol

Exocrine pancreas en Francais

Business

Exocrine pancreas in the Marketplace

Patents on Exocrine pancreas

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Exocrine pancreas

The exocrine pancreas has ducts which are arranged in clusters called acini (singular acinus). Pancreatic secretions are secreted into the lumen of the acinus, and then accumulate in intralobular ducts that drain to the main pancreatic duct, which drains directly into the duodenum.

Control of the exocrine function of the pancreas are via the hormones gastrin, cholecystokinin and secretin, which are hormones secreted by cells in the stomach and duodenum, in response to distension and/or food and which cause secretion of pancreatic juices.

There are two main classes of exocrine pancreatic secretions:

Secretion Cell producing it Primary signal
bicarbonate ions Centroacinar cells Secretin
digestive enzymes Basophilic cells CCK

Pancreatic secretions from ductal cells contain bicarbonate ions and are alkaline in order to neutralize the acidic chyme that the stomach churns out.

The pancreas is also the main source of enzymes for digesting fats (lipids) and proteins. (The enzymes that digest polysaccharides, by contrast, are primarily produced by the walls of the intestines.)

The cells are filled with secretory granules containing the precursor digestive enzymes. The major proteases which the pancreas secretes are trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen. Secreted to a lesser degree are pancreatic lipase and pancreatic amylase).

It is important to synthesize inactive enzymes in the pancreas to avoid autodegradation, which can lead to pancreatitis. These granules are termed zymogen granules (the term "zymogen" referring to the inactive precursor enzymes). Trypsinogen is an inactivated forms of trypsin, and chymotrypsinogen is an inactivated form of chymotrypsin.

Once released in the intestine, the enzyme enterokinase present in the intestinal mucosa activates trypsinogen by cleaving it to form trypsin. The free trypsin then cleaves the rest of the trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen to their active forms.

External links


Template:Digestive glands

Template:WH Template:WS