The islet of Langerhans pancreas. Antibodies to the cells of the islets of Langerhans

Each islet of Langerhans performs a very, very important role for the whole organism. Its main role is to control the carbohydrate content in the blood.

History of the discovery

The island of Langerhans was first described in 1869. The discoverer of these important formations, located in the pancreas (mainly in the tail part of it), was a young student of Rudolf Virchow - Paul Langerhans. It was he who first examined the cluster of cells in the microscope, which differed in their morphological structure from other pancreatic tissues.

Later it was found that the islets of Langerhans perform the endocrine function. This discovery was made by K. P. Ulezko-Stroganov. In 1889, the first link was established between the defeat of the islets of Langerhans and the development of diabetes mellitus.

What could be the islet of Langerhans?

At present, this structure has already been studied quite well. Now it is well known that this education has varieties. At the moment, the following are known:

• Alpha-cells;
• Beta cells;
• Delta cells;
• Pn-cells;
• Epsilon-cells.

It is because of this diversity that the cells of the islets of Langerhans fulfill all the duties that are assigned to them.

Alpha cells

This variety is approximately 15-20% of all available islets of Langerhans. The main task of alpha cells is the production of glucagon. This hormone is lipid in nature and is a kind of insulin antagonist. Releasing, glucagon is sent to the liver, where, by contacting special receptors, it regulates the production of glucose by the decomposition of glycogen.

Beta cells

The islets of Langerhans of this variety are the most common. They constitute approximately 65-80% of the total. Now it is already established that their main function is the production of one of the most important hormones - insulin. This substance is a glucagon antagonist. It promotes the activation of the formation of glycogen and its storage in the cells of the liver and muscles. As a result of this process, the amount of glucose in the blood decreases.

Delta cells

The islets of the Langerhans pancreas of this type are not so common. They are only 2-10% of the total. Now their functional features are well known. It was established that these cells synthesize somatostatin. The function of this biologically active substance is to inhibit the production of somatotropic, thyrotropic and somatotropin-releasing hormone. That is, it acts directly on the hypothalamus, as well as the anterior part of the pituitary gland.

PP cells

Each islet of Langerhans of this type is involved in the production of a pancreatic polypeptide. Until the end of its function is not studied. Currently, he is credited with the properties of suppressing the production of pancreatic juice. In addition, its effects help to relax the smooth muscles of the gallbladder. In recent years, the dependence of the level of production of this substance on the formation of malignant neoplasms has been studied quite actively. As a result, it was found that the level of the pancreatic polypeptide increases with their development. So this biologically active substance can be considered a good marker of malignant neoplasms of the pancreas.

Epsilon cells

Such islets of Langerhans are the rarest. Of the total, their number is less than 1%. The main task of such cells is the production of a hormone called ghrelin. This active substance has a large number of functions, but the most studied is its regulatory effect on appetite.

On the pathology of the islets of Langerhans

The defeat of these important structures has a very serious negative impact on the body. In the event that antibodies are produced to the islets of Langerhans, the number of the latter progressively decreases. The defeat of more than 90% of cells reduces insulin production to a critically low level. The result is the development of such a dangerous disease as diabetes. Antibodies to the cells of the islets of Langerhans often appear in relatively young patients.

Serious damage to the population of these hormone-producing cells can cause an inflammatory process in the pancreas - pancreatitis.

How to keep islet cells?

To do this, you have to take care of the entire pancreas as a whole. First and foremost, you must refrain from excesses in alcoholic beverages. The fact is that they among the most food products have the most negative effect on the pancreas. In the case of prolonged use of alcoholic beverages, a person develops and progresses pancreatitis, which eventually can lead to a significant defeat of islet cells.

In addition to alcoholic beverages, a large amount of food rich in animal fats has a rather negative effect on the pancreas. At the same time, the state of affairs will be aggravated if the patient has not eaten anything for a long time before the feast.

In the event that there is already a chronic inflammatory process in the pancreatic tissue, it is necessary to consult a specialist - therapist or gastroenterologist. Doctors of these specialties will prescribe a rational course of treatment that can significantly slow down the development of pathological changes. In the future, every year you will have to undergo ultrasound examination of the pancreas, which is performed in conjunction with other abdominal organs. In addition, it is necessary to submit a biochemical blood test for the content of amylase in it.

To determine the beginning of the development of chronic pancreatitis, in addition to laboratory and instrumental studies, the clinic will also help. The main symptom of this disease is the occurrence of pain in the left hypochondrium. In this case, this soreness has a shingling character and occurs more often after taking a large amount of food rich in animal fats. In addition, the patient after eating can be bothered by a constant feeling of heaviness in the abdomen. All these symptoms quickly leave it or decrease their severity against the background of taking medications containing pancreatin. Among them, the most popular medicines were Creon, Mezim and Pancreatin. When an inflammatory process occurs in the pancreatic tissue, it is better to stop drinking altogether. The fact is that even a small amount of it can aggravate the pathological process, thereby significantly harming this organ.