The sphincter of ampulla or sphincter of Oddi is a muscular valve that controls the flow of digestive juices (bile and pancreatic juice) through the ampulla of Vater into the second part of the duodenum. It is named after Ruggero Oddi

Ruggero Oddi

Ruggero Oddi was an Italian physiologist and anatomist who was a native of Perugia. He studied medicine at Perugia, Bologna and Florence, and in 1894 was appointed head of the Physiology Institute at the University of Genoa. In 1900 he was relieved of his position at Genoa because of narcotics...

. The sphincter of Oddi is relaxed by the hormone Cholecystokinin

Cholecystokinin

Cholecystokinin is a peptide hormone of the gastrointestinal system responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein...

(CCK) via vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP).

External links

Great In Depth Article On The Sphincter of Oddi Function: http://www.saudijgastro.com/article.asp?issn=1319-3767;year=2000;volume=6;issue=3;spage=129;epage=146;aulast=Ballal