islets of Langerhans

clusters of endocrine cells within the pancreas. The A (or alpha) cells secrete glucagon, the B (or beta) cells secrete insulin, and the D (or delta) cells secrete somatostatin. Together these hormones play a key role in regulating blood sugar and carbohydrate metabolism. [Paul Langerhans (1847–1888), German anatomist]

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

broadband

n. any of a number of transmission media with very high bit-rate capacity, including fiber optics, cable modems, and wireless networks, that enable the transmission of multiple signals to computers at rates of tens of millions of bits per second.