Pancreas Flashcards Preview

Alimentary System > Pancreas > Flashcards

Flashcards in Pancreas Deck (23)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

How many parts of the pancreas are there?

A
  1. Tail, body, neck, head, uncinate process
2
Q

The majority of the pancreas is?

A

Exocrine acini (secreting digestive enzymes)

3
Q

What do duct cells of the pancreas secrete?

A

Watery bicarbonate fluid

4
Q

Describe the commonality of the various types of cells in the pancreas

A
  1. Insulin secreting B cells (70%)
  2. Glucagon secreting a cells (20%)
  3. Somatostatin secreting Delta cells (10%)
5
Q

At what end of the duct are acinar cells located?

A

At the terminal end.

They secrete low volume, viscous enzymes

6
Q

What is special about centroacinar cells?

A

They have the properties of acinar cells and duct cells

7
Q

What are the functions of the duct cells?

A

Modify enzymes released by acinar cells (mobilise/neutralise acid chyme).

8
Q

What connects Duct cells?

A

Tight junctions

9
Q

Explain the mechanism of duct secretion

A
  1. HCO3- production through carbonic anhydrase. Na moves down gradient via paracellular junction. H20 follows.
  2. HCO3- secretion into duct. Cl/HCO3- exchanger. There is a Na/H+ pump at the basolateral membrane to bloodstream.
  3. Na management. Na gradient into cell managed by Na/K ATPase pump.
10
Q

Contrast the blood leaving the stomach vs blood leaving pancreas

A

Stomach = alkaline

Pancreas blood = acidic

11
Q

What enzyme converts trypsinogen into trypsin?

A

Enterokinase, which is a duodenal brush border enzyme.

12
Q

What does trypsin do?

A
  1. Activates protease zymogens
  2. Converts prolipase to lipase.
  3. Autocatalyses trypsinogen to trypsin
13
Q

What do proteases (e.g. carboxypeptidase, chymotrypsin) and trypsin do?

A

Convert longer peptides into shorter peptides

14
Q

How do fats become fatty acids and monoglycerides?

A

Bile converts fats to triglycerides. Colipase and lipase convert triglycerides into fatty acids and monoglycerides.

15
Q

What can pancreatic autodigestion cause?

A

Acute pancreatitis

16
Q

Explain hormonal control of bicarbonate secretion.

A

Decrease in duodenal pH, stimulates secretin from S cells, secretin travels via blood to pancreas, binds to receptors on duct cells, cAMP 2nd messenger increases, Cl channels activated in apical membrane, Cl efflux, increased activity of anion exchanger, HCO3- efflux.

17
Q

Explain how enzyme secretion from acinar cells is controlled.

A
  1. Hormonal. Fats/peptides in duodenum - triggers CCK release (I cells) - CCK travels in blood to pancreas - binds to CCK1 receptors on Acinar cells - PLC/IP3 2nd messenger - increased cytosolic Ca - Zymogen/inhibitor/enzyme granule exocytosed
  2. Neural. Vagus nerve releases ACh - binds to muscarinic receptors on Acinar cells - activation of PLC/IP3 2nd messenger, etc
18
Q

What are the 3 phases of pancreatic secretion?

A
  1. Cephalic phase (vagus nerve)
  2. Gastric phase - distension of stomach (vagus nerve)
  3. Intestinal phase - acid/nutrient detection in duodenum. S cells and I cells.
19
Q

Intestinal phase is mainly mediated by?

A

HORMONES. Negative feedback loop also present.

20
Q

Majority of secretion is in which phase?

A

Intestinal phase

21
Q

Acinar cells are activated in all 3 phases of pancreatic secretion. In the intestinal phase, another cell is also activated, which is?

A

Acinar cells and duct cells

22
Q

CCK and secretin both are the most powerful increasers of HCO3- secretion.

A

T

23
Q

CCK affects duct cells, but does secretin affect acinar cells?

A

NO