The 10 parts of the pancreas: their characteristics and functions

Of all the organs of the human body, the pancreas is one of the most important given its implications for the digestive and endocrine systems.

Thanks to this glandular structure our blood sugar levels are regulated, in addition to the fact that without its capacity to produce enzymes it would be very difficult to digest.

Next we are going to review some of its functions and, especially, what are the parts of the pancreas.

• Related article: "Digestive system: anatomy, parts and functioning"

What is the pancreas?

In the human body we can find more than 80 organs, which work in a coordinated way not just to keep us alive but also so that we can carry out physical activities and mental. Among the most important we find the pancreas, since its functions are essential for our body, being part of both the digestive and endocrine systems.

The pancreas helps the digestion of food in the small intestine, in addition to being responsible for the synthesis of many hormones important for the regulation of blood glucose levels, including insulin. We are going to see this and other functions in greater depth by reviewing the parts of the pancreas, in addition to the anatomical characteristics of this organ as a whole.

The pancreas is an organ known to be the second largest hormonal gland in our body, only surpassed in size by the liver.. It is a glandular structure that is located in the abdominal cavity, just behind of the stomach, between the spleen and the duodenum, at the level of the second lumbar vertebra and together with the glands adrenals.

This organ, which is part of the digestive and endocrine systems, has an elongated shape, similar to that of a flat pear, having a length that is usually between 15 and 20 cm, with an average thickness of 4 and 5 cm and a weight between 70 and 150 grams. It works as an exocrine and endocrine gland at the same time, that is, on the one hand it can synthesize non-hormonal substances, which are released in different body cavities, while the other synthesizes and releases hormones into the stream blood.

Thus, we can see its exocrine activity helping the digestion of food, releasing different enzymes to the small intestine (juice pancreatic), including amylases, lipases and proteases, substances that break down complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins respectively; while its endocrine activity consists, among other functions, in regulating blood sugar levels by releasing hormones to the blood vessels that modulate the amount of glucose, especially insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, polypeptide pancreatic.

• You may be interested in: "Endocrine system: anatomy, parts and functions"

The parts of the pancreas (and their anatomical and functional characteristics)

Now that we have seen a little about the main functions of the pancreas and what its shape is like, we are going to take a closer look at the parts of this gland. This glandular organ is morphologically divided into head, neck, body and tail., structures which are formed by other parts that carry out specific functions, intervening in both the digestive and endocrine systems.

1. Head

The head is the thickest part of this organ. This is located on the right and is located behind the liver, partially surrounding the duodenum, which is the first region of the small intestine and where the pancreas sheds the pancreatic juice. It is for this reason that the head is the region where the majority of cells linked to exocrine activity are found, synthesizing the pancreatic juice.

2. Neck

The neck is an anatomical region that simply serves as a connection between the head and body of the pancreas. It is the part in which it can be observed as a change of direction in the pancreas, having a deviation in its structure.

3. Body

The body is the part of the pancreas that begins behind the neck, this region being behind the stomach. This part ascends vertically and is the longest region of the pancreas, housing the majority of cells linked to endocrine activity.

4. Tail

The tail is the narrowest part of the pancreas. It is a pointed end, which is like an extension of the pancreatic body, and which is in contact with the stomach and spleen, and most of the cells it contains are linked to endocrine activity, synthesizing and releasing hormones such as insulin and glucagon.

5. Wirsung duct

The Wirsung duct is also known as the main pancreatic duct. Consists in a tube that begins in the tail of the pancreas, moving through your body until it reaches the tail, where it collects pancreatic juice with enzymes that digest food, leading this liquid to the main outlet of the pancreas: the ampulla of Vater.

6. Vater's ampoule

Vater's ampulla or greater duodenal papilla is about an opening through which the Wirsung conduit empties and that allows the release of pancreatic juice to the duodenum. Through this part most of the pancreatic juice is released into the digestive system.

7. Santorini Duct

Also called accessory pancreatic duct, the Santorini duct would come to be something like the little brother of the Wirsung duct. Is about a secondary pancreatic duct, which consists of a tube that arises as an extension or deviation of the Wirsung duct in the area of ​​the head. It is narrower than the other duct and also serves to release pancreatic juice.

8. Lesser duodenal papilla

The lesser duodenal papilla is the second opening of the pancreas into the duodenum. It is the opening that the Santorini conduit has, being smaller than the ampulla of Vater and, like that other part of the pancreas, it serves to pour the pancreatic juices into the small intestine.

9. Uncinate process

The uncinate process is a region of the pancreas that folds back and below the head of this same organ, having a shape similar to that of a hook. This part of the pancreatic organ, although with a peculiar shape, turns out to have a certain halo of mystery since today it is not clearly known what its physiological function is.

10. Islets of Langerhans

The islets of Langerhans, also called pancreatic islets, are about clusters of cells found throughout the pancreas, especially abundant in the body and tail.

These cells specialize in synthesizing all the hormones that are involved in the endocrine system, becoming involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels. All the endocrine pancreatic activity of the pancreas is due to these clusters of cells.