PANCREATIC JUICE Meaning and
Definition
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Pancreatic juice is a digestive fluid secreted by the pancreas, a gland located in the abdomen behind the stomach. It is a vital component of the digestive system that aids in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients from food.
The fluid is rich in enzymes and bicarbonate ions, which play essential roles in digestion. The enzymes present in pancreatic juice include amylase, lipase, and proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates into simpler sugars like glucose, lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol, while the proteases break down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids.
Additionally, pancreatic juice also contains bicarbonate ions, which act as a buffer to neutralize the acidic chyme entering the small intestine from the stomach. This helps create an optimal pH environment for the functioning of digestive enzymes and protects the delicate lining of the small intestine from the corrosive effects of stomach acid.
The release of pancreatic juice is regulated by hormones and nervous signals triggered by the presence of food in the stomach and small intestine. It enters the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, through a duct called the pancreatic duct.
Overall, pancreatic juice is crucial for the effective digestion and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, ensuring the proper functioning of the digestive system and overall body health.
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The external secretion of the pancreas, a clear alkaline fluid containing several enzymes: a diastatic enzyme, amylopsin; two proteolytic enzymes, trypsin and myopsin; a steatolytic enzyme, steapsin; an enzyme emulsifying neutral fats, and a milk-curdling enzyme.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PANCREATIC JUICE
- oancreatic juice
- lancreatic juice
- -ancreatic juice
- 0ancreatic juice
- pzncreatic juice
- psncreatic juice
- pwncreatic juice
- pqncreatic juice
- pabcreatic juice
- pamcreatic juice
- pajcreatic juice
- pahcreatic juice
- panxreatic juice
- panvreatic juice
- panfreatic juice
- pandreatic juice
- panceeatic juice
- pancdeatic juice
- pancfeatic juice
Etymology of PANCREATIC JUICE
The etymology of the word "pancreatic" can be traced back to two Latin roots: "pancreas" and "pancreation". "Pancreas" comes from the Greek word "pankreas", which means "sweetbread" or "flour". "Pancreation" is a combination of "pan" (meaning "all") and "kreas" (meaning "flesh" or "meat").
The word "juice" has Latin origins as well. It comes from the Latin word "jus", which means "broth" or "sauce".
Therefore, the term "pancreatic juice" combines the Greek and Latin roots to describe the digestive fluid secreted by the pancreas.
Similar spelling words for PANCREATIC JUICE
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