Within the pancreas, which cells produce insulin and glucagon to regulate blood glucose?

Prepare for AAMI Anatomy 1. Utilize flashcards, multiple choice questions with explanations, and detailed study aids. Succeed on your exam!

Multiple Choice

Within the pancreas, which cells produce insulin and glucagon to regulate blood glucose?

The pancreas’ endocrine tissue sits in the Islets of Langerhans, where the hormone-secreting cells reside. In these islets, insulin is produced by beta cells and glucagon by alpha cells (with delta cells making somatostatin). Insulin lowers blood glucose by helping cells take up glucose and store it, while glucagon raises blood glucose by promoting glucose release from the liver. These hormones enter the bloodstream to regulate systemic glucose levels. The exocrine portion of the pancreas—acinar cells that produce digestive enzymes and duct cells that transport them—handles digestion, not glucose regulation. Hepatocytes are liver cells, not pancreatic hormone producers.

The pancreas’ endocrine tissue sits in the Islets of Langerhans, where the hormone-secreting cells reside. In these islets, insulin is produced by beta cells and glucagon by alpha cells (with delta cells making somatostatin). Insulin lowers blood glucose by helping cells take up glucose and store it, while glucagon raises blood glucose by promoting glucose release from the liver. These hormones enter the bloodstream to regulate systemic glucose levels. The exocrine portion of the pancreas—acinar cells that produce digestive enzymes and duct cells that transport them—handles digestion, not glucose regulation. Hepatocytes are liver cells, not pancreatic hormone producers.

More practice questions