Definition
Understanding of progenitor cells and processes for embryonic development of the pancreas and regeneration holds the key for solving mysteries of pancreatic cancer development since many of these pathways are found to be activated in pancreatic tumors. It can also provide clues to regenerate the pancreas following injuries arising from diabetes, pancreatitis, and surgical insult.
Characteristics
Functional Morphology of the Pancreas
On average daily, the pancreas secretes 1,200 ml of pancreatic juice comprising of digestive enzymes necessary for digestion of food and hormones important for blood glucose homeostasis. The pancreas as a glandular organ comprises digestive enzyme-secreting exocrine cells (acinar cells), hormone-secreting endocrine cells (islets of Langerhans), and epithelial duct cells forming a lumen which carries the pancreatic secretions to the common bile duct and intestine.
Endocrine Component
Constituting about 1 % of the adult human pancreas, more than a...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
References
Fendrich V, Esni F, Garay MV, Feldmann G, Habbe N, Jensen JN et al (2008) Hedgehog signaling is required for effective regeneration of exocrine pancreas. Gastroenterology 135:621–631
Jensen JN, Cameron E, Garay MV, Starkey TW, Gianani R, Jensen J (2005) Recapitulation of elements of embryonic development in adult mouse pancreatic regeneration. Gastroenterology 128:728–741
Jonsson J, Carlsson L, Edlund T, Edlund H (1994) Insulin-promoter-factor 1 is required for pancreas development in mice. Nature 371:606–609
Murtaugh LC, Melton DA (2003) Genes, signals, and lineages in pancreas development. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 19:71–89
Siveke JT, Lubeseder-Martellato C, Lee M, Mazur PK, Nakhai H, Radtke F et al (2008) Notch signaling is required for exocrine regeneration after acute pancreatitis. Gastroenterology 134:544–555
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Gupta, S. (2014). Pancreatic Cancer Development and Regeneration. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_7186-3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_7186-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences