Human Liver Pancreas And Duodenum

Quick Answer: The human liver, pancreas and duodenum model shows three digestive organs together with the ducts that connect them. It is used to teach how bile from the liver and gall bladder and enzymes from the pancreas reach the duodenum, and the anatomy behind conditions such as gallstones and pancreatitis.

Organs Linked by a Shared Duct System

These three organs are modelled together because they work together. The duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, curves in a C-shape around the head of the pancreas, while the liver lies above with the gall bladder tucked beneath it. Their secretions meet at one point: the common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct usually join to form the hepatopancreatic ampulla, which opens into the second part of the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla, controlled by the sphincter of Oddi.

Following the bile route on a liver, pancreas and duodenum model is the key exercise. The right and left hepatic ducts unite as the common hepatic duct; the cystic duct from the gall bladder joins it to form the common bile duct, which runs down behind the duodenum and through the head of the pancreas. Between meals the sphincter is closed and bile backs up into the gall bladder for storage.

This shared outlet explains several conditions. A gallstone lodged at the ampulla can block both ducts, causing jaundice and triggering pancreatitis, and a tumour in the head of the pancreas can press on the common bile duct. The exact structures on this model, including whether the spleen or blood vessels are shown, should be confirmed before ordering.

Specifications

Applications

• Tracing the flow of bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum
• Explaining gallstones, obstructive jaundice and gallstone pancreatitis in nursing and medical teaching
• Showing the exocrine role of the pancreas alongside its endocrine islets
• Revision of the accessory digestive organs in secondary biology

Care & Handling

• Support the model from beneath when moving it; the ducts are its most fragile parts.
• Clean with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry thoroughly.
• Keep it covered and out of the sun to protect the colour coding of the ducts.

Why Choose LabEquip

Nursing and medical colleges choose this model to teach the biliary and pancreatic ducts, which a whole digestive system model shows only in outline. LabEquip lists it among its biology lab products, alongside the liver with gall bladder model for liver anatomy. Enquire through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do bile and pancreatic juice enter the gut?

In most people the common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct join at the hepatopancreatic ampulla, which opens into the second part of the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla.

What is the sphincter of Oddi?

It is a ring of smooth muscle around the ampulla that controls the release of bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum. When it is closed, bile is diverted into the gall bladder for storage.

How can a gallstone cause pancreatitis?

A stone that moves down the common bile duct can lodge at the ampulla, where it blocks the pancreatic duct too. Trapped pancreatic enzymes can then inflame the pancreas.

Why does the pancreas sit in the curve of the duodenum?

The head of the pancreas develops next to the duodenum and stays within its C-shaped curve, which keeps the pancreatic duct short and close to its outlet.

Does the pancreas only make digestive enzymes?

No. Most of the gland secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum, but scattered islets of Langerhans release the hormones insulin and glucagon into the blood.

How is this model different from the liver with gall bladder model?

The liver with gall bladder model concentrates on the liver itself. This model adds the pancreas and duodenum to show how the digestive ducts connect and empty into the intestine.

Last Updated: September 2026