Tail of pancreas

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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.
Latin cauda pancreatis
Gray's subject #251 1201
Dorlands/Elsevier c_15/12219840

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.

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