Anatomy, Histology, and Fine Structure of the Pancreas

Study of pancreatic function and diseases is informed by understanding of the normal anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure of the pancreas. The function of the exocrine pancreas is to make digestive enzymes such as trypsin, lipase, and amylase and secrete them into the intestine to aid in digestion of food. The endocrine pancreas (islets) makes hormones such as insulin and glucagon that are secreted into the blood to control energy metabolism in tissues throughout the body. The gross anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure of exocrine acinar cells and ducts that support the exocrine function is illustrated and described in this chapter as are the islets that secrete hormones to mediate the endocrine functions. As the understanding of these functions evolved at the molecular level, pancreatic acinar cells served as a prototype for protein synthesizing cells.