20.6: Duodenum, Pancreas, Liver, and Gallbladder
- Page ID
- 53821
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Duodenum
Chyme passing through the pyloric sphincter moves into the duodenum which needs to neutralizes the highly acidic solution from the stomach, continue chemical digestion, and begin absorption of nutrients. In the duodenum there is a papilla (a small rounded protuberance) called the major duodenal papilla where secretions from the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder enter the duodenum to neutralize stomach acid, continue chemical digestion, and aid in absorption of nutrients.
Above: The duodenum, part of the small intestine, receives chyme from the stomach and neutralizes the gastric juices and continues chemical digestion with secretions from the pancreas.
Pancreas
The pancreas has both endocrine and exocrine functions: it produces glucagon and insulin to regulate blood sugar levels (endocrine hormones) and digestive enzymes to aide in digestion (exocrine). There are three main regions of the pancreas: The head, body and tail.
The main pancreatic duct combines with the common bile duct to form the hepatopancreatic ampulla. The hepatopancreatic sphincter controls the flow of bile and pancreatic juices through the ampulla and out the major duodenal papilla. The accessory pancreatic duct leads to the minor duodenal papilla.
Exocrine secretions containing digestive enzymes from the pancreas follow the following path:
- Pancreatic digestive enzymes produced in pancreatic acinar cells
- pancreatic duct
- common bile duct
- through the hepatopancreatic sphincter
- through the duodenal papilla
- into the duodenum
Above: The duodenum, pancreas, and gall bladder including the common bile duct where secretions from the liver and gall bladder combine with pancreatic secretions and are released into the duodenum through the duodenal papilla. Release of secretions is controlled by the hepatopancreatic sphincter.
Above: Cadaver images of pancreas and duodenum.
Liver
The liver cleans and detoxifies blood entering it from the hepatic portal vein, balances the amount of nutrients in the blood including glucose and amino acids, and produces bile. Bile is a greenish-brown alkaline fluid that aids in digestion by emulsifying fats.
Bile produced in the liver follows the following path into the duodenum:
- Bile is produced in the liver
- right/left hepatic ducts
- common hepatic duct
- common bile duct
- through the hepatopancreatic sphincter
- through the duodenal papilla
- into the duodenum