islet of Langerhans
[
lahng
-er-hahns, -hahnz,
lahng
-ger-]
/ˈlɑŋ ərˌhɑns, -ˌhɑnz, ˈlɑŋ gər-/
noun
,
Anatomy
1.
any of several masses of endocrine cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin, somatostatin, and glucagon.
Also called
island of Langerhans
.
Origin
named after Paul
Langerhans
(1847-88), German anatomist, who described them in 1869