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The Human Pancreas Is An Organ Of Both Endocrine And Exocrine

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The human pancreas is an organ of both endocrine and exocrine function – in regulating blood sugars and aiding in digestion respectively. About 95 percent of the human pancreas is made of exocrine tissue and the remaining of endocrine. In exocrine glands, secretions flow through ducts into a body cavity, such as the nasal passage or urinary tract, rather than directly into the circulation of the bloodstream, which is a characteristic of the endocrine pancreas.

The exocrine pancreas is split into two major substituents, the acini and the duct system, each comprised of intralobular and interlobular components.
The acinar cells secrete digestive enzymes, which are also synthesized here. The name of these enzyme-secreting units comes from …show more content…

These epithelial cells protrude short microvilli from their surface, which contain an abundance of secretory granules, secreting fluids, which make up the majority of pancreatic juices. Epithelial cells found in the main pancreatic duct are analogous in structure to those of the interlobular ducts. Both sections of the duct system have thick, collagenous walls. Leakage prevention of the duct system is carried out by the Zonula Occludens - intercellular tight junctions between the duct and acinar cells. The pancreatic duct, also known as the duct of Wirsung, connects the pancreas to the bile duct. Hence, allowing the pancreatic juices to be transported to the gall bladder to fuse with bile, aiding in digestion and neutralization of gastric acids.

In the case of the exocrine glands, secretions consist of aqueous mixtures. Enzyme secretion in the pancreas is stimulated by the vagus and a hormone called pancreozymin, which is formed when it is exposed to proteoses or peptones. The pancreas releases 1000 to 1500 ml of pancreatic juice into the pancreatic duct each day. Secretions of the pancreas consists of two principal constituents, an alkaline fluid and enzymes such as lipase, protease and α-amylase that are necessary for digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in vertebrates respectively. Other enzymes present include trypsin, chymotrypsin and colipase.
The pancreas secretes most of these enzymes as inactive precursors

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