Anatomy
pancreatic islet
pan·cre·at·ic is·let [ pan-kree-at-ik, pang- ahy-lit ]
Subclass of:
Endocrine Glands;
Pancreas
Definitions related to islets of langerhans:
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The pancreatic tissue that contains the islets of Langerhans. It is responsible for the production and secretions of the pancreatic hormones.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Clusters of hormone-producing cells, including alpha and beta cells, that appear throughout the pancreas.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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Irregular microscopic structures consisting of cords of endocrine cells that are scattered throughout the PANCREAS among the exocrine acini. Each islet is surrounded by connective tissue fibers and penetrated by a network of capillaries. There are four major cell types. The most abundant beta cells (50-80%) secrete INSULIN. Alpha cells (5-20%) secrete GLUCAGON. PP cells (10-35%) secrete PANCREATIC POLYPEPTIDE. Delta cells (~5%) secrete SOMATOSTATIN.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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