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The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e., it has both an endocrine and a digestive exocrine function. [2] 99% of the pancreas is exocrine and 1% is endocrine.
There are about 1 million islets distributed throughout the pancreas of a healthy adult human. While islets vary in size, the average diameter is about 0.2 mm. [5]:928 Each islet is separated from the surrounding pancreatic tissue by a thin, fibrous, connective tissue capsule which is continuous with the fibrous connective tissue that is interwoven throughout the rest of the pancreas.
The pancreas produces and releases important digestive enzymes in the pancreatic juice that it delivers to the duodenum. [24] The pancreas lies below and at the back of the stomach. It connects to the duodenum via the pancreatic duct which it joins near to the bile duct's connection where both the bile and pancreatic juice can act on the chyme ...
The duodenum receives excretions from various organs such as the pancreas and spleen. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. [4] [5] The second part is the jejunum, which is located in the middle of the small intestine. The final part of the small intestine is the ileum, which leads into the large intestine.
Pancreatitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. [1] The pancreas is a large organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and a number of hormones. [1] There are two main types: acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancreatitis. [1] Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis include pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and ...
Beta cells (β-cells) are specialized endocrine cells located within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans responsible for the production and release of insulin and amylin. [1] Constituting ~50–70% of cells in human islets, beta cells play a vital role in maintaining blood glucose levels. [2] Problems with beta cells can lead to disorders such ...
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas.Causes include a gallstone impacted in the common bile duct or the pancreatic duct, heavy alcohol use, systemic disease, trauma, elevated calcium levels, hypertriglyceridemia (with triglycerides usually being very elevated, over 1000 mg/dL), certain medications, hereditary causes and, in children, mumps.
The pancreatic duct or duct of Wirsung (also, the major pancreatic duct due to the existence of an accessory pancreatic duct) is a duct joining the pancreas to the common bile duct. This supplies it with pancreatic juice from the exocrine pancreas , which aids in digestion .