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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.
However, both enzymes can be elevated in other disease states. In chronic pancreatitis, the fecal pancreatic elastase-1 (FPE-1) test is a marker of exocrine pancreatic function. Additional tests that may be useful in evaluating chronic pancreatitis include hemoglobin A1C, immunoglobulin G4, rheumatoid factor, and anti-nuclear antibody. [32]
Human pancreatic islet by immunostaining. Nuclei of cells are shown in blue (DAPI). Beta cells are shown in green (Insulin), Delta cells are shown in white (Somatostatin). 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]
The most well studied is through the action of extra-pancreatic glucose sensors, including neurons found in the brain, which exert control over the alpha cells in the pancreas. [5] The pancreas is controlled by both the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system , although the method these two systems use to control the ...
The ampulla of Vater, hepatopancreatic ampulla or hepatopancreatic duct is the common duct that is usually formed by a union of the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct within the wall of the duodenum.
The isthmus (also called the central pancreas) is the region of the gland that runs anterior to the superior mesenteric artery; by convention, it divides the right and left sides of the pancreas. [2] The ventral pancreatic bud forms the pancreatic head and uncinate process. The glands continue to develop but the duct systems anastomose.
The pancreatic duct is generally regarded as abnormally enlarged if being over 3 mm in the head and 2 mm in the body or tail on CT scan. [9] Pancreatic duct or parts of pancreatic duct can be demonstrated on ultrasound in 75 to 85% of people. [10] Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is a common form of pancreatic cancer.