The pancreas is considered to be one of the most important human organs - it secretes both key hormones for the human body and produces various digestive enzymes. How is the pancreas structured and on which side? What are the functions of the pancreas? What irritates the pancreas and what pancreatic diseases are the most common?

The pancreas(pancreas) is a single human organ located within the abdominal cavity. Its existence was mentioned for the first time a long time ago, as it happened about 300 years before our era. However, it was only after a few centuries that this organ was called pancreas - the word comes from the Greek language and literally translated means "all of meat" (this term comes from the fact that the pancreas looks like muscle fibers).

With successive centuries, more and more discoveries about the pancreas were made, incl. in the 17th century, the pancreatic duct was described for the first time, and in the 18th century, the first description of the accessory pancreatic duct appeared.

One of the most important functions of the pancreas, i.e. its endocrine function, was discovered quite late - it was only described in the second half of the 19th century.

Pancreas: development

In the course of embryonic development, around the 5th week of the embryo, an intestinal tubule appears in the embryo, which has three parts - the anterior, middle and posterior intestine. The pancreas develops from structures that belong to the anterior intestine.

Ultimately, it arises from two buds - dorsal and abdominal - which are duodenal diverticula. Both these parts, around the 6th week of pregnancy, connect with each other and later, along with the subsequent weeks of pregnancy, further changes in the pancreas take place, which result in the fact that a child is born with an organ ready to perform its function.

Pancreas: structure

There are three parts to the pancreas, which are:

  • pancreatic head
  • pancreatic shaft
  • pancreatic tail

The above-mentioned are the basic parts of the pancreas - some authors, apart from them, also specify the so-called the neck of the pancreas.

This organ has three surfaces (anterior-superior, anterior-inferior, and posterior) and three edges (upper, anterior, and lower).

The size of the pancreas is usually about 15 centimeters, its masswhile typically it is up to about 100 grams.

The structures that depart from the pancreas are very important for the functions of the pancreas - we are talking about the exit ducts here.

The main duct is the pancreatic duct that begins in the tail of the pancreas, runs the entire length of the organ, and eventually ends up in the duodenum.

Apart from it, there is also the accessory pancreatic duct - this structure in most people (about 70% of people) connects with the pancreatic duct and finally the substance secreted by the pancreas, transported through both ducts, goes to the so-called greater duodenal nipple.

The histological structure of the pancreas has two basic elements - they are:

  • pancreatic islets (or Langerhans islets - their number may even reach 2 million and they are involved in the production of pancreatic hormones)
  • secretory cells, which are the rest of the organ and are responsible for the synthesis of, inter alia, pancreatic enzymes

Where is the pancreas?

The pancreas is located inside the abdominal cavity - it is generally horizontal and located in the retroperitoneal space.

The position of the pancreas corresponds to the height of the first and second lumbar vertebrae of the spine.

Many people wonder which side the pancreas is on - this organ is located in the epigastrium slightly to the left of the spine, but in general to say that the pancreas lies on the right or left side of the abdominal cavity, you simply can't.

The head of the pancreas is covered by the duodenum, it lies near the inferior vena cava and the right kidney.

The pancreatic shaft is in front of the lumbar vertebrae and crosses the aorta, left kidney, left adrenal glands and superior mesenteric artery.

The tail of the pancreas is located in front of the left kidney and adjacent to the spleen.

Pancreas: vascularization and innervation

The pancreatic arterial vessels originate from the pancreatic-duodenal arteries (upper and lower), apart from them, arterial blood is also supplied to this organ by pancreatic branches, which originate from the splenic artery.

Venous blood from the pancreas flows into the pancreatic-duodenal veins and from there into the superior mesenteric vein, portal vein, or splenic vein.

The autonomic nervous system is primarily responsible for the innervation of the pancreas.

Parasympathetic fibers reach the organ - they originate from the vagus nerve and are transmitted through their path by nerve impulses, e.g. stimulate the production of pancreatic juice.

The sympathetic fibers that reach the pancreas come from the visceral plexus and their effect on the pancreas is completelyopposite to parasympathetic fibers.

Pancreas: Features

The pancreas has intra- and exocrine functions. In the case of the former, it is about the secretion of hormones, which are primarily involved in the control of glucose levels in the body.

These hormones, as already mentioned, are produced within the Langerhans islands - there are different types of cells within them, each of which is responsible for the production of a different hormone:

  • α (alpha) cells: they secrete glucagon, which leads to - incl. by increasing the breakdown of hepatic glycogen - to increase the level of glucose in the blood
  • β (beta) cells: considered to be the most important population of pancreatic cells - they secrete insulin, which is a hormone that lowers blood glucose levels
  • δ (delta) cells: secrete somatostatin, which influences the release of hormones from alpha and beta cells
  • PP cells (sometimes referred to as γ, gamma): secrete a pancreatic polypeptide

The exocrine part of the pancreas is associated with the activity of the gastrointestinal tract - this organ produces many different enzymes important in the digestive process, but also in pancreatic juice there are bicarbonates, which have the ability to neutralize acidic food coming from the stomach. In the case of this task, the pancreas is definitely not lazy - the daily production of pancreatic juice is estimated at about 1.5 to 2 liters.

Pancreas: enzymes

The role of the pancreas in the digestion of food is undeniable - this organ secretes enzymes that break down both carbohydrates, as well as fats and proteins. Among the pancreatic enzymes, the following are mainly mentioned:

  • Pancreatic amylase (breaks down carbohydrates)
  • trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen (involved in digesting proteins)
  • pancreatic lipase (the enzyme responsible for digesting fats)
  • elastase (which deals with the degradation of proteins)
  • carboxypeptidase (a substance that breaks down proteins)

Pancreatic enzymes - standards. How to interpret the test results?

Pancreas: diseases

There is probably no need to convince anyone about the importance of the pancreas for the functioning of the human body. It is certainly not surprising that when there are some disturbances in the functioning of this organ, the patient usually begins to realize quite quickly that it has occurred.

Pancreatic diseases are very different conditions: they can be both congenital problems (they can be, for example, congenital pancreatic defects, such as the annular pancreas or the bisected pancreas) andthere are many acquired diseases of the pancreas.

One of the more well-known acquired diseases of the pancreas are pancreatitis - it is possible to develop both acute pancreatitis and the problem may be a chronic pancreatitis.

Another, also well-known, disease of the pancreas is diabetes. It is caused by abnormalities in insulin secretion and / or tissue sensitivity to this hormone and there are two main types: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Not only, however, the endocrine function of the pancreas can be abnormal - the second of its basic functions, i.e. the secretion of enzymes, can also be disturbed and this condition can lead to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Cystic fibrosis is also a disease in which pancreatic lesions may occur.

Within the pancreas, as in other human organs, various pathological changes can develop.

These can be cysts (there are real and pseudo-pancreatic cysts), but also neoplastic changes.

Benign formations (such as adenomas) may develop in the pancreas.

A pancreatic tumor is also an insulinoma - this lesion can be both benign and malignant.

There is also another pancreatic cancer - glucagonoma (it produces glucagon).

It is within the pancreas that one of the malignant neoplasms in which the prognosis of patients is considered the least favorable can develop.

  • Pancreatic cancer: causes, symptoms, treatment

It is clearly visible that the pancreas can be affected by various diseases.

Pancreatic pain: how does the pancreas hurt?

How do you know, however, that we have had any dysfunctions of this organ? Well, one of the convincing phenomena about this possibility is pancreatic pain.

But how does the pancreas hurt? Well, usually quite unusual - it is possible to feel pain in the upper abdomen, but it can also radiate to the back.

This problem is usually difficult to overlook because pancreatic pain is usually severe, often described by patients as blinding.

The causes of pancreatic pain are primarily the above-mentioned diseases, but the course of this problem may be different - e.g. in acute pancreatitis, pain appears suddenly and lasts for a long time, while in the case of people who suffer from chronic pancreatitis pancreas, episodic appearance of this ailment is characteristic (e.g. after overeating).

Pancreas and alcohol

The causes of pancreatic diseases are different - sometimes they are mutations (as happens in the case of cystic fibrosis), and sometimes we bring about these diseases through our own fault.

When asked what irritates the pancreas, there is only one answer: excessive alcohol consumption. It is the abuse of this liquid that is the main cause of acute pancreatitis.

Smoking cigarettes also has a negative impact on the functioning of this organ - the harmful addiction affects not only the respiratory system, but also promotes the occurrence of pancreatic cancer.

Irritation of the pancreas can also occur as a result of an improper diet - especially a diet rich in fat predisposes to this problem.

Category:

Gastrology