Gastroenteropancreatic Endocrine System

Abstract

Endocrine cells distributed in the gastroenteric mucosa and those located in the pancreas mainly forming islets of Langerhans are collectively termed the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) endocrine cells. (Fig. 16.1). The gastroenteric endocrine elements are mostly bipolar basal-granulated cells reaching the gut lumen which receive chemical information from the food, whereas their counterpart cells in the pancreas are mainly gathered around the blood capillaries to detect chemical information in the blood. In spite of these differences, both endocrine cell groups share many structural, functional, and metabolic features. The same cell types are even found to produce the same hormones in both groups.