Regeneration of the pancreatic β cell
J. Clin. Invest. Massimo Trucco, et al. 115:5 doi:10.1172/JCI23935 [
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Figure 1Cross section of the pancreas. The pancreas houses 2 distinctly different tissues. Its bulk comprises exocrine tissue, which is made up of acinar cells that secrete pancreatic enzymes delivered to the intestine to facilitate the digestion of food. Scattered throughout the exocrine tissue are many thousands of clusters of endocrine cells known as islets of Langerhans. Within the islet, α cells produce glucagon; β cells, insulin; δ cells, somatostatin; and γ cells, pancreatic polypeptide – all of which are delivered to the blood.
