islets of langerhans

IPA/ˌaɪlɪts əv ˈlæŋɡəhænz/
IPA/ˌaɪlɪts əv ˈlæŋɡəhænz/

islets of langerhans — noun

1. small clusters of cells inside the pancreas that make and release two key hormon

1.nounC1
Definition

small clusters of cells inside the pancreas that make and release two key hormones — insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and glucagon, which raises it — to help keep the body's energy levels steady.

Example

The islets of Langerhans release insulin when blood sugar levels rise after a meal.

release + hormone objects (insulin, glucagon)

When a person has type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the islets of Langerhans and stops insulin production.

attacks — describes autoimmune destruction

Common collocations
  • the islets of Langerhans release / secrete / produce
  • attack / damage / destroy the islets of Langerhans
  • cells in the islets of Langerhans
  • the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
Synonyms
  • pancreatic islets

    Interchangeable in medical writing, though slightly more formal in tone.

  • Langerhans islets

    A less common word-order variant, still correct in scientific contexts.

Grammar Patterns

plural + verb

the + noun + of

Usage Note

A specialized medical term named after Paul Langerhans, the German doctor who identified these cell clusters in 1869. In everyday speech, speakers usually refer to 'the cells in the pancreas that make insulin' rather than using the full scientific name.

Common Mistakes

The islets of Langerhans are the same as the pancreas.
The islets of Langerhans are small cell clusters inside the pancreas.
The islets make up only about 1–2% of the pancreas; most of the pancreas has other functions.
Beta cells are the same as the islets of Langerhans.
Beta cells are one type of cell found inside the islets of Langerhans.
An islet contains four main cell types; beta cells are only one of them.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms relate to the pancreas, but they refer to different structures. 'Islets of Langerhans' (also called 'pancreatic islets') are the hormone-producing clusters scattered throughout the pancreas — the term covers the whole cluster with its mix of alpha, beta, delta, and other cells. 'Beta cells' are a specific cell type inside the islets that produce insulin alone; they make up about 60–70% of an islet. 'Acinar cells' are a completely different kind of pancreatic cell — they form the exocrine tissue that produces digestive enzymes, not hormones. So while 'islets of Langerhans' and 'pancreatic islets' are synonyms, 'beta cells' names a sub-part, and 'acinar cells' refers to an entirely separate population. For example: 'The islets of Langerhans are damaged in diabetes' covers the whole picture, whereas 'Beta cells are destroyed in type 1 diabetes' is more specific, and 'Acinar cells are unaffected by diabetes' draws the contrast with the digestive side of the pancreas.

pancreatic isletsbeta cellsacinar cells

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
  • cells in the islets of Langerhans

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanEnglishLatin

The structure is named after Paul Langerhans (1847–1888), a German medical student who first described these cell clusters in 1869 while studying the pancreas under a microscope. He noticed groups of clear, differently coloured cells scattered through the organ, though he did not know their function — that was discovered decades later. The word 'islet' (a small island) was chosen because the clusters look like tiny islands dotted across the surrounding pancreatic tissue.