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The pancreas maintains constant blood glucose levels (shown as the waving line). When the blood glucose level is too high, the pancreas secretes insulin and when the level is too low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. Cells within the pancreas help to maintain blood glucose levels (homeostasis). The cells that do this are located within the ...
The pancreas, located in the abdomen, below and behind the stomach, is both an exocrine and an endocrine gland. The alpha and beta cells are the endocrine cells in the pancreatic islets that release insulin and glucagon and smaller amounts of other hormones into the blood.
The abdominopelvic cavity is a body cavity that consists of the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity. [1] The upper portion is the abdominal cavity, and it contains the stomach , liver , pancreas , spleen , gallbladder , kidneys , small intestine , and most of the large intestine.
The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ in the body but has other functions. [23] It breaks down both red and white blood cells that are spent. This is why it is sometimes known as the 'graveyard of red blood cells'. [23] A product of this digestion is the pigment bilirubin, which is sent to the liver and secreted in the bile.
The kidneys are located behind the peritoneum, in the retroperitoneum, outside the abdominal cavity. The viscera are also covered by visceral peritoneum. Between the visceral and parietal peritoneum is the peritoneal cavity, which is a potential space. [1] It contains a serous fluid called peritoneal fluid that allows motion.
Enteroendocrine cells are specialized cells of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas with endocrine function. They produce gastrointestinal hormones or peptides in response to various stimuli and release them into the bloodstream for systemic effect, diffuse them as local messengers, or transmit them to the enteric nervous system to activate nervous responses.
There are about 1 million islets distributed throughout the pancreas of a healthy adult human. While islets vary in size, the average diameter is about 0.2 mm. [5]:928 Each islet is separated from the surrounding pancreatic tissue by a thin, fibrous, connective tissue capsule which is continuous with the fibrous connective tissue that is interwoven throughout the rest of the pancreas.
Beta cells (β-cells) are specialized endocrine cells located within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans responsible for the production and release of insulin and amylin. [1] Constituting ~50–70% of cells in human islets, beta cells play a vital role in maintaining blood glucose levels. [2] Problems with beta cells can lead to disorders such ...