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islets of Langerhans |
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islet /is·let/ (-lit) an island. islets of Langerhans irregular microscopic structures scattered throughout the pancreas and comprising its endocrine portion. They contain the alpha cells, which secrete the hyperglycemic factor glucagon; the beta cells, which secrete insulin; the delta cells, which secrete somatostatin; and the PP (or F ) cells, which secrete pancreatic polypeptide. Degeneration of the beta cells is one of the causes of diabetes mellitus.
Islets of Langerhans Special structures in the pancreas responsible for insulin secretion among other functions. They are named for Paul Langerhans, the German researcher who first identified them in 1869. Mentioned in: Insulin Resistance, Pancreatic Cancer, Endocrine islets of Langerhans. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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To measure insulin release from isolated islets, mice were killed by cervical dislocation, and pancreatic islets of Langerhans were isolated by collagenase digestion as described previously (Morimoto et al. That disease occurs when a person's immune system destroys pancreas cells called islets of Langerhans, which secrete insulin. Ideally, doctors will someday be able to transplant islets of Langerhans cells into the pancreas of insulin-dependent diabetics. |
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