What is an acinar structure?

Individual acinar cells have the shape of a truncated pyramid, arranged in groups around a central ductal lumen. These central ducts empty into progressively larger intercalated and collecting ducts that eventually join the pancreatic duct (duct of Wirsung).

What is the function of acinar?

The pancreatic acinar cell is the functional unit of the exocrine pancreas. It synthesizes, stores, and secretes digestive enzymes. Under normal physiological conditions, digestive enzymes are activated only once they have reached the duodenum.

What is the acinar region?

An acinus consists of the entire region of alveoli and alveolated ducts that are distal to a single terminal bronchus, on average beyond the fifteenth generation (Haefeli-Bleuer & Weibel, 1988; Finlay, 2001).

What contains acinar?

The exocrine cells (acinar cells) of the pancreas produce and transport chemicals that will exit the body through the digestive system. The chemicals that the exocrine cells produce are called enzymes. They are secreted in the duodenum where they assist in the digestion of food.

What do acinar cells look like?

Acinar cells are pyramidal, are oriented radially around a tiny, central lumen, and have intracytoplasmic, membrane-bound zymogen granules in the apical region. The more basophilic perinuclear region, containing the rough endoplasmic reticulum, gives the acinar cell a two-toned, apical–basal polarized appearance.

What is secreted by acinar cells?

Exocrine Secretions of the Pancreas. Pancreatic juice is composed of two secretory products critical to proper digestion: digestive enzymes and bicarbonate. The enzymes are synthesized and secreted from the exocrine acinar cells, whereas bicarbonate is secreted from the epithelial cells lining small pancreatic ducts.

How do acinar cells work?

Pancreatic acinar cells synthesize and secrete almost all the digestive enzymes active in the lumen of the small intestine which are necessary for nutrient digestion. Both synthesis and secretion are highly regulated over both short and long time frames to insure an appropriate supply of digestive enzymes.

What enzymes do acinar cells produce?

The pancreatic acinar cell secretes its proteolytic enzymes in precursor form (zymogens). Other enzymes (amylase, lipase, ribonuclease) are secreted in an active form.

How do you pronounce acini cell?

noun, plural ac·i·ni [as-uh-nahy].

What are acini?

The acinus is the basic functional unit of the exocrine pancreas. It is composed of acinar cells, centroacinar cells, and duct cells (Fig. 1). A connective tissue matrix, including a basal lamina, surrounds the acinus, but does not insert itself between individual acinar cells.

What hormone stimulates acinar cells?

Gastrin: This hormone, which is very similar to cholecystokinin, is secreted in large amounts by the stomach in response to gastric distention and irritation. In addition to stimulating acid secretion by the parietal cell, gastrin stimulates pancreatic acinar cells to secrete digestive enzymes.