Tail of pancreas

Tail of pancreas
1: Head of pancreas 2: Uncinate process of pancreas 3: Pancreatic notch 4: Body of pancreas 5: Anterior surface of pancreas 6: Inferior surface of pancreas 7: Superior margin of pancreas 8: Anterior margin of pancreas 9: Inferior margin of pancreas 10: Omental tuber 11: Tail of pancreas 12: Duodenum
The duodenum and pancreas
Details
Identifiers
Latin	cauda pancreatis
Dorlands /Elsevier	12219840
TA	A05.9.01.014
FMA	14519
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The tail of the pancreas, located anatomically left near the hilum of the spleen, is not simply an anatomical distinction. The tail is the only part of the pancreas which contains Pancreatic Polypeptide (PP) cells, which are responsible for secreting pancreatic polypeptide to coordinate exocrine and islet enzyme release. PP cells are found in the tail's periphery. Beta cells (insulin secretory) and delta cells (somatostatin secretory) are found in the central part of the tail as with the rest of the pancreas.

The cells described above are located exclusively in the islet cells; their secretions reach exocrine portions of the pancreas via the capillary network surrounding the islet cell populations.

Additional images

• 

  Abdominal cavity.Tail of pancreas. Deep dissection.

External links

• Anatomy figure: 37:05-09 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The lesser peritoneal sac."
• Anatomy photo:39:09-0104 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Pancreas"
• Anatomy image:8560 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Cross section image: pembody/body8a - Plastination Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna
• MedEd at Loyola Grossanatomy/dissector/labs/abdomen/postwall/pw1_1a.htm