pankreatische

Pankreatische is an adjective derived from the German term for the pancreas, Pankreas. It is used in medical and scientific contexts to describe phenomena, structures, or processes that relate to this gland.

The pancreas is a gland located in the abdomen with dual roles: exocrine and endocrine. The exocrine portion produces digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase and proteases (for example trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen) and releases them into the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. The endocrine portion, consisting of the islets of Langerhans, releases hormones including insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream to regulate blood glucose. Pankreatische terms therefore appear in discussions of enzyme production, pancreatic secretions, and endocrine function.

In clinical language, pankreatische is used in phrases like pankreatische Funktion, pankreatische Enzymproduktion or pankreatische Dysfunktion. Disorders associated with pankreatische dysfunction include exokrine Pankreasinsuffizienz, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and conditions such as cystic fibrosis that affect pancreatic secretions. Diagnostic approaches addressing pankreatische function may involve serum amylase and lipase tests, fecal elastase assessment, and imaging studies of the pancreas.

Etymology reflects its Greek-Latin roots: pankreas from Greek pankreas, meaning “all flesh,” combined with the German suffixes -isch and -ische to form the adjective. Related terms include Pankreas, Pankreatitis, and exokrine vs. endokrine Pankreasfunktionen.