Skip to main content

Islet Function

Meaning

Islet Function refers to the collective endocrine activity of the Islets of Langerhans, which are specialized micro-organs dispersed throughout the pancreatic tissue containing crucial hormone-secreting cells. The primary role of this function is the precise and dynamic regulation of systemic glucose homeostasis through the coordinated and antagonistic release of insulin from the beta cells and glucagon from the alpha cells. Optimal islet function is the absolute cornerstone of metabolic health; its progressive decline is the defining physiological feature in the transition from insulin resistance to pre-diabetes and ultimately type 2 diabetes, profoundly impacting energy balance and longevity.