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The Endocrine Pancreas

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Principles of Endocrinology and Hormone Action

Part of the book series: Endocrinology ((ENDOCR))

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Abstract

The mammalian pancreas comprises an endocrine compartment, secreting hormones in the bloodstream, and an exocrine part, releasing digestive enzymes into the intestine. This chapter summarizes some of our current understanding of endocrine cells in the mammalian pancreas. These comprise α-cells secreting glucagon, β-cells secreting insulin, δ-cells secreting somatostatin, PP cells secreting pancreatic polypeptide, and ɛ-cells secreting ghrelin. Altogether these cells, organized in islets, and their hormones regulate blood glucose levels, glucose, lipid and protein metabolism, body weight, energy expenditure, food intake, and many other functions in peripheral tissues. Dysfunction or destruction of endocrine islets leads to diabetes mellitus and metabolic alteration of great medical importance.

The main purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the pancreatic islet composition and cell function and the physiological role of the islet hormones. Moreover we aim to discuss the pathophysiology of diseases caused by abnormal secretion or activity of these hormones.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, via Palermo 636, 95122, Catania, Italy

    Salvatore Piro & Francesca Urbano

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Franco Folli

  3. Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Dei Sette Laghi (ASST), Varese, Italy

    Giovanna Finzi

  4. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Lorella Marselli & Piero Marchetti

Authors
  1. Salvatore Piro
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  2. Francesca Urbano
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  3. Franco Folli
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  4. Giovanna Finzi
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  5. Lorella Marselli
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  6. Piero Marchetti
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Correspondence to Salvatore Piro .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy

    Antonino Belfiore

  2. Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York, USA

    Derek LeRoith

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Piro, S., Urbano, F., Folli, F., Finzi, G., Marselli, L., Marchetti, P. (2018). The Endocrine Pancreas. In: Belfiore, A., LeRoith, D. (eds) Principles of Endocrinology and Hormone Action. Endocrinology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44675-2_31

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