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Are islet cells the gatekeepers of the pancreas?
Parviz M Pour1, Jens Standop, Surinder K Batra
1UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, USA. ppour@unmc.edu
Abstract:
The pancreas is one of the body's most complex tissues composed of a mixture of endocrine and exocrine cell components. Although, islets comprise 1-2% of the pancreatic volume, there is some evidence that they control the function and the integrity of the pancreas and play the role of a gatekeeper. This review intends to highlight the importance of islet cells, not only for glucose metabolism, but also for their significant role in drug metabolism and diseases, especially in pancreatic cancer.