ArticleslgStudy

science

Pancreas

Pancreas is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pancreas rather than just read about it. In short: The pancreas (plural pancreases, or pancreata) 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.

Pancreas — main illustration
Pancreas — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Pancreas belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Pancreas to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Pancreas from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The pancreas (plural pancreases, or pancreata) 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. Ninety-nine percent of the pancreas is exocrine and one percent is endocrine. As an endocrine gland, it functions mostly to regulate blood sugar levels, secreting the hormones insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide. As a part of the digestive system, it functions as an exocrine gland secreting pancreatic juice into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct. This juice contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes acid entering the duodenum from the stomach, and digestive enzymes which break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in food entering the duodenum from the stomach. Inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis; common causes include chronic alcohol use and gallstones. Because of its role in the regulation of blood sugar, the pancreas is also a key organ in diabetes. Pancreatic cancer can arise following chronic pancreatitis or due to other reasons, and it carries a very poor prognosis, as it is often identified only after it has spread to other areas of the body. The word pancreas comes from the Greek πᾶν (pân, "all") & κρέας (kréas, "flesh"). The function of the pancreas in diabetes has been known since at least 1889, with its role in insulin production identified in 1921.

Structure

The pancreas is an organ that in humans lies in the abdomen, stretching from behind the stomach to the left upper abdomen near the spleen. In adults, it is about 12–15 centimetres (4.7–5.9 in) long, lobulated, and salmon-coloured in appearance. Anatomically, the pancreas is divided into a head, neck, body, and tail. The pancreas stretches from the inner curvature of the duodenum, where the head surrounds two blood vessels: the superior mesenteric artery and vein. The longest part of the pancreas, the body, stretches across behind the stomach, and the tail of the pancreas ends adjacent to the spleen. Two ducts, the main pancreatic duct and a smaller accessory pancreatic duct, run through the body of the pancreas. The main pancreatic duct joins with the common bile duct, forming a small balloon called the ampulla of Vater (hepatopancreatic ampulla). This ampulla is surrounded by a muscle, the sphincter of Oddi. This ampulla opens into the descending part of the duodenum. The opening of the common bile duct into main pancreatic duct is controlled by sphincter of Boyden. The accessory pancreatic duct opens into duodenum with separate openings located above the opening of the main pancreatic duct.

Parts The head of the pancreas sits within the curvature of the duodenum and wraps around the superior mesenteric artery and vein. To the right sits the descending part of the duodenum, and between these travel the superior and inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries. Behind rest the inferior vena cava and the common bile duct. In front sit the peritoneal membrane and the transverse colon. A small uncinate process emerges from below the head, situated behind the superior mesenteric vein and sometimes artery. A pancreatic notch is a separation between the neck of the pancreas and the uncinate process. The neck of the pancreas separates the head of the pancreas, located in the curvature of the duodenum, from the body. The neck is about 2 cm (0.79 in) wide and sits in front of where the portal vein is formed. The neck lies mostly behind the pylorus of the stomach and is covered with peritoneum. The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery travels in front of the neck of the pancreas. The body of the pancreas is the largest part of the pancreas and mostly lies behind the stomach, tapering along its length. The peritoneum sits on top of the body of the pancreas, and the transverse colon in front of the peritoneum. Behind the pancreas are several blood vessels, including the aorta, the splenic vein, and the left renal vein, as well as the beginning of the superior mesenteric artery. Below the body of the pancreas sits some of the small intestine, specifically the last part of the duodenum and the jejunum to which it connects, as well as the suspensory ligament of the duodenum, which falls between these two. In front of the pancreas sits the transverse colon. The pancreas narrows towards the tail of the pancreas, which sits near the spleen. It is usually between 1.3–3.5 cm (0.51–1.38 in) long and sits between the layers of the ligament between the spleen and the left kidney. The splenic artery and vein pass behind the body and tail of the pancreas.

Blood supply The pancreas has a rich blood supply, with vessels originating as branches of both the coeliac artery and superior mesenteric artery. The splenic artery, the largest branch of the celiac trunk, runs along the top of the pancreas and supplies the left part of the body and the tail of the pancreas through its pancreatic branches, the largest of which is called the greater pancreatic artery. The superior and inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries run along the back and front surfaces of the head of the pancreas adjacent to the duodenum. These supply the head of the pancreas. These vessels join together (anastamose) in the middle. The body and neck of the pancreas drain into the splenic vein, which sits behind the pancreas. The head drains into, and wraps around, the superior mesenteric and portal veins, via the pancreaticoduodenal veins. The pancreas drains into lymphatic vessels that travel alongside its arteries, and it has a rich lymphatic supply. The lymphatic vessels of the body and tail drain into splenic lymph nodes, and eventually into lymph nodes that lie in front of the aorta, between the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries. The lymphatic vessels of the head and neck drain into intermediate lymphatic vessels around the pancreaticoduodenal, mesenteric and hepatic arteries, and from there into the lymph nodes that lie in front of the aorta.

Microanatomy

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Pancreas illustration
Pancreas: The pancreas (shown here in pink) sits behind the stomach, with the body near the curvature of the duodenum, and the tail stretching to touch the spleen.
The pancreas (shown here in pink) sits behind the stomach, with the body near the curvature of the duodenum, and the tail stretching to touch the spleen.
Pancreas: This image shows a pancreatic islet when pancreatic tissue is stained and viewed under a microscope. Parts of the digestive ("exocrine") pancreas can be seen around the islet, more darkly. These contain hazy dark purple granules of inactive digestive enzymes (zymogens).
This image shows a pancreatic islet when pancreatic tissue is stained and viewed under a microscope. Parts of the digestive ("exocrine") pancreas can be seen around the islet, more darkly. These contain hazy dark purple granules of inactive digestive enzymes (zymogens).
Pancreas: An image using immunohistochemistry to show the location of different cell types in the pancreatic islet. Antibodies against glucagon (red-brown), secreted by alpha cells, show their peripheral position. Antibodies against insulin (blue), secreted by beta cells, show the more widespread and central position that these cells tend to have.[9]
An image using immunohistochemistry to show the location of different cell types in the pancreatic islet. Antibodies against glucagon (red-brown), secreted by alpha cells, show their peripheral position. Antibodies against insulin (blue), secreted by beta cells, show the more widespread and central position that these cells tend to have.[9]
Pancreas: The pancreas originates from the foregut, a precursor tube to part of the digestive tract, as a dorsal and ventral bud. As it develops, the ventral bud rotates to the other side, and the two buds fuse.
The pancreas originates from the foregut, a precursor tube to part of the digestive tract, as a dorsal and ventral bud. As it develops, the ventral bud rotates to the other side, and the two buds fuse.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pancreas

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pancreas claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pancreas before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pancreas ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pancreas

In research
Pancreas appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Pancreas in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Pancreas is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Pancreas, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Pancreas outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Pancreas” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Pancreas in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Pancreas means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Pancreas out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pancreas in simple terms?

The pancreas (plural pancreases, or pancreata) 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.

Why does Pancreas matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pancreas?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pancreas.

Tags

  • Pancreas

Keep exploring