s, pang-]
| a gland, situated near the stomach, that secretes a digestive fluid into the intestine through one or more ducts and also secretes the hormone insulin. |
pancreas pan·cre·as (pāng'krē-əs, pān'-)
n. pl. pan·cre·a·ta (pān-krē'ə-tə)
A lobulated gland without a capsule, that extends from the concavity of the duodenum to the spleen, consists of a flattened head within the duodenal concavity, an elongated three-sided body extending across the abdomen, and a tail touching the spleen, and secretes insulin and glucagon internally and pancreatic juice externally into the intestine.
pancreas (pāng'krē-əs) Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrate animals that is located behind the stomach and is part of the digestive system. It secretes hormones (insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin) into the bloodstream and digestive enzymes into the small intestine or gut. The pancreas also secretes sodium bicarbonate, which protects the lining of the intestine by neutralizing acids from the stomach. |