Somatostatin: the early days

A short historical review is presented of the events leading to the discovery of somatostatin, an inhibitor of the secretion of growth hormone, while we were engaged in the search of a releasing factor for growth hormone. Also, of the early days of the recognition of the unexpected biological activity of somatostatin in inhibiting the secretions of insulin and glucagon and its eventual localization in the delta cells of the pancreatic islets.