Name: Glands of the Alimentary Canal
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 5 min 46 s
Description: Food digestion is a complicated process assisted by many digestive glands along the way. Let us learn more about these glands and study Brunner’s glands in d...

Question

Write the detailed accounts of functions of liver and pancreas with respect to digestive processes.

Accepted Answer

The digestive glands associated with the alimentary canal are-

Salivary glands

Liver

Pancreas

Liver- It is the largest gland in our body. It is located below diaphragm's right lobe. Falciform ligament of the diaphragm divides liver into two lobes: right and left. The structural and functional unit of liver is the hepatic lobule. Each lobule is covered with Glisson's capsule. Kupffer cells are phagocytic cells in the liver.The functions of liver as a digestive gland are as follows:

It secretes bile juice which consists of bile salts and bile pigments.

Bile salts helps in emulsification of large fat droplets into small globules.

Bile is the only digestive juice that lacks enzymes.

Bile pigments are formed due to haemoglobin catabolism.

It activates lipases.

Pancreas- It is a heterocrine or mixed gland situated partly behind stomach between the limbs of U-shaped duodenum. The endocrine part of pancreas is Islets of Langerhans which are 1-2% of the total volume. Exocrine part are Acinar cells which produce 500-800 ml of pancreatic juice at pH 8.4. It contains several enzymes and zymogens for the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.

Write the detailed accounts of functions of liver and pancreas with respect to digestive processes.

Important Questions on Digestion and Absorption

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