The Islets of Langerhans secrete which hormones?

• A. Insulin only
• B. Glucagon only
• C. Insulin and glucagon
• D. Somatostatin

Answer: (C)

Islets of Langerhans release hormones that regulate blood sugar. The two hormones most directly involved in this control are insulin, produced by beta cells, and glucagon, produced by alpha cells. Insulin lowers blood glucose by helping cells take up glucose and by promoting its storage as glycogen, while glucagon raises blood glucose by signaling the liver to release stored glucose. Delta cells release somatostatin (which modulates the activity of insulin and glucagon), and other islet cells secrete pancreatic polypeptide, but the pair that best represents the major glucose-regulating hormones from the islets is insulin and glucagon.