Pancreas

Pancreas
Anatomy of the pancreas
Details
Pronunciation	/ˈpæŋkriəs/
Precursor	Pancreatic buds
System	Digestive system and endocrine system
Artery	Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery, posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery, splenic artery
Vein	Pancreaticoduodenal veins, pancreatic veins
Nerve	Pancreatic plexus, celiac ganglia, vagus nerve[1]
Lymph	Splenic lymph nodes, celiac lymph nodes and superior mesenteric lymph nodes
Identifiers
Latin	pancreas
Greek	πάγκρεας (pánkreas)
MeSH	D010179
TA98	A05.9.01.001
TA2	3114
FMA	7198
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e., it has both an endocrine and a digestive exocrine function.^[2] 99% of the pancreas is exocrine and 1% is endocrine.^[3][4][5][6] As an endocrine gland, it functions mostly to regulate blood sugar levels, secreting the hormones insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide. As a part of the digestive system, it functions as an exocrine gland secreting pancreatic juice into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct. This juice contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes acid entering the duodenum from the stomach; and digestive enzymes, which break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats in food entering the duodenum from the stomach.

Inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis, with common causes including chronic alcohol use and gallstones. Because of its role in the regulation of blood sugar, the pancreas is also a key organ in diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic cancer can arise following chronic pancreatitis or due to other reasons, and carries a very poor prognosis, as it is often only identified after it has spread to other areas of the body.

The word pancreas comes from the Greek πᾶν (pân, "all") & κρέας (kréas, "flesh"). The function of the pancreas in diabetes has been known since at least 1889, with its role in insulin production identified in 1921.