What type of cells in the Islets of Langerhans secrete insulin?

Step-by-step solution

Pancreas is a composite gland (Figure 19.1) which acts as both exocrine and endocrine gland. The endocrine pancreas consists of ‘Islets of Langerhans’. There are about 1 to 2 million Islets of Langerhans in a normal human pancreas representing only 1 to 2 per cent of the pancreatictissue. The two main types of cells in the Islet of Langerhans are called α-cells and β-cells. The α-cells secrete a hormone called glucagon, while the β-cells secrete insulin. Prolonged hyperglycemia leads to a complex disorder called di