Spleen vs pancreas: how they differ, in 3D
The spleen and the pancreas are often confused, but they are different organs. The spleen is a fist-sized lymphatic organ in the upper left of the abdomen, behind and to the left of the stomach and covered by the ribs, while the pancreas is a long organ lying across the abdomen behind the stomach, with the tip of its tail reaching the spleen. The spleen filters the blood, clears old red cells and gathers immune cells; the pancreas makes pancreatic juice full of digestive enzymes, and hormones such as insulin and glucagon. The spleen is almost completely wrapped in peritoneum, while the pancreas, apart from its tail, is a retroperitoneal organ against the back wall of the abdomen. The tail of the pancreas runs within the splenorenal ligament to reach the hilum of the spleen.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the spleen and the pancreas?
The spleen lies in the upper left of the abdomen, level with the left 9th to 11th ribs. The pancreas lies across the middle of the abdomen: its head sits in the curve of the duodenum on the right, and its tail reaches the spleen on the left.
Which body systems do the spleen and the pancreas belong to?
The spleen belongs to the lymphatic and immune system. The pancreas belongs to both the digestive system, through its pancreatic juice, and the endocrine system, through its hormones.
How do the vessels of the spleen run past the pancreas?
The splenic artery branches from the coeliac trunk and runs to the left along the upper border of the pancreas to reach the spleen. The splenic vein passes behind the pancreas and joins the superior mesenteric vein to form the hepatic portal vein.
How far does the tail of the pancreas reach?
To near the hilum of the spleen. The tail of the pancreas runs with the splenic vessels inside the splenorenal ligament towards the spleen.
Where in the pancreas are hormones made?
In the pancreatic islets (islets of Langerhans), small clusters of cells scattered through the pancreas. They release hormones such as insulin and glucagon into the blood. The spleen is a lymphatic organ, not a hormone-producing one.
The organs compared
Parts to look at
Other organ comparisons
- Small intestine vs large intestine
- Liver vs pancreas
- Liver vs spleen
- Stomach vs pancreas
- Heart vs lungs
- Stomach vs small intestine
- Liver vs stomach
- Liver vs kidneys
- Spleen vs kidneys
More comparisons
Read more
- The human skeleton in 3D
- BAHI BODY 3D human body
- Chronic Disease Is Systemic Breakdown: chapter summaries
- Blog
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