Pancreatic tail

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.Pancreas of a human embryo at end of sixth weekThe pancreas and its surrounding structuresDuodenum and pancreas. Deep dissection. 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. The pancreas is a gland, having both an endocrine and a digestive exocrine function. 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 secretes 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. The pancreas is an organ that in humans lies in the upper left part of the abdomen. In adults, it is about 12–15 centimetres (4.7–5.9 in) long, lobulated, and salmon-coloured in appearance. Anatomically, the pancreas is divided into a head, neck, body, and tail. The pancreas stretches from the inner curvature of the duodenum, where the head surrounds two blood vessels, the superior mesenteric artery, and vein. The longest part of the pancreas, the body, stretches across behind the stomach, and the tail of the pancreas ends adjacent to the spleen. Two ducts, the main pancreatic duct and a smaller accessory pancreatic duct, run through the body of the pancreas, joining with the common bile duct near a small ballooning called the ampulla of Vater. Surrounded by a muscle, the sphincter of Oddi, this opens into the descending part of the duodenum. The head of the pancreas sits within the curvature of the duodenum, and wraps around the superior mesenteric artery and vein. To the right sits the descending part of the duodenum, and between these travel the superior and inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries. Behind rests the inferior vena cava, and in front sits the peritoneal membrane and the transverse colon. From the back of the head emerges a small uncinate process, which extends to the back of the superior mesenteric vein and ends at the superior mesenteric artery. The superior mesenteric artery passes down in front of the left half across the uncinate process; the superior mesenteric vein runs upward on the right side of the artery and, behind the neck, joins with the lienal vein to form the portal vein. The body of the pancreas travels from the head, separated by a short neck. The neck is about 2 cm (0.79 in) wide, and sits in front of the portal vein. The gastroduodenal artery and the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal arteries travel in front of the gland and begin where the neck meets the head of the pancreas. The neck lies mostly behind the pylorus of the stomach. The body is the largest part of the pancreas, and mostly lies behind the stomach. It has a triangular cross-section, with the tip near the top of the pancreas, and the base at the bottom. The peritoneum sits on top of the front-facing and lower surfaces of the pancreas. Behind the pancreas are several blood vessels, including the aorta, the splenic vein, and the left renal vein, as well as some of the superior mesenteric artery. Below the body of the pancreas sits some of the small intestine, specifically the last part of the duodenum and the jejunum to which it connects, as well as the suspensory ligament of the duodenum which falls between these two. In front of the pancreas sits the transverse colon.