[Neural control of pancreatic secretion]

In humans and many laboratory animals, protein and fat digestion products are potent intestinal stimulants of pancreatic enzyme secretion. Both neural and hormonal pathways mediate the enzyme response to these intestinal stimulants. Enteropancreatic, cholinergic, vago-vagal reflexes are probably the most important mediators of the enzyme response to low loads of amino acids, fatty acids and HCl; hormones, such as cholecystokinin, seem to be the major mediators of the response to high loads of amino acids, fatty acids and HCl. Gastric acid is the major regulator of postprandial pancreatic bicarbonate secretion. Secretin released by HCl is probably the most important physiological hormonal mediator of postprandial pancreatic bicarbonate secretion; its effect being potentiated by extrinsic (vagal) and intrinsic (intrapancreatic) cholinergic nerves and release of other hormones, such as cholecystokinin. Under physiological conditions it is probably the interplay of neural and hormonal mechanisms which regulates the pancreatic response to intestinal stimulants. However, this interaction of nerves and hormones is greatly unknown.