Usera: Endocrine Pancreas Flashcards
The endocrine pancreas is made up of 1 million clusters of cells called the (blank)
islets of langerhans
What are the four main cells types found in the endocrine pancreas, and what does each secrete?
beta cells: secrete insulin
alpha cells: secrete glucagon
delta cells: secrete somatostatin
PP cells: secrete pancreatic polypeptide
What are the two minor cells found in endocrine pancreas, and what does each secrete?
D1 cells: secrete VIP
enterochromaffin cells: secrete 5HT
Round, dense granules with a thin halo
alpha granules (secrete glucagon)
Crystalline core with a wide halo
beta granules (secrete insulin)
Round, less dense core with a thin halo
delta granules (secrete somatostatin)
Small, hyperdense cores
PP granules
What are the two main disorders of the pancreatic islet cells?
Diabetes mellitus
pancreatic endocrine tumors
Dysfunction or loss of pancreatic B-cells
Decreased secretion of insulin
DM
Abnormal proliferation of pancreatic islet cells
pancreatic endocrine tumors
Not a single disease entity, but rather a group of metabolic disorders sharing the common underlying feature of hyperglycemia.
Results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or most commonly, both.
Diabetes mellitus
Chronic hyperglycemia and associated metabolic dysregulation may be associated with secondary organ damage, especially in these organs…
kidneys
eyes
nerves
blood vessels
Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of these three conditions
end-stage renal disease
adult-onset blindness
non-traumatic lower extremity amputation
What is the estimated lifetime risk of being diagnosed with DM in individuals born in the US, males vs females?
1 in 3 males
2 in 5 females
What are 3 ways to diagnose DM?
- random blood glucose greater than 200mg/dL with classical signs & symptoms
- fasting blood glucose greater than 126mg/dL more than once
- abnormal glucose tolerance test with blood glucose greater than 200mg/dL after a carb load
What is the fasting blood glucose of a prediabetic? What is the glucose tolerance testing like?
fasting blood glucose: 100-126 (less than 100 in healthy individuals)
glucose tolerance testing: 140-200 (less than 140 in healthy individuals)
What is type 1 DM?
absolute deficiency of insulin caused by autoimmune destruction of beta-cell mass
T-lymphocytes mount an immune response against pancreatic beta-cell antigens
What is type 2 DM?
peripheral resistance to insulin action or relative insulin deficiency (inadequate secretion by pancreatic B cells)
This makes up 90-95% of diabetes cases
type II DM
Most people with type II DM are (blank)
overweight
What is the major gene associated with type I DM?
HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR4
**HLA contributes to over 50% of the genetic susceptibility
90-95% of whites with DM type 1 have either HLA DR3 or DR4 haplotypes
40-50% of DM type i are combined DR3 & DR4 heterozygotes
Some non-HLA genes associated with DM 1 include the following…
insulin (VNTR)
CTLA4
PTPN22
CD25 (decreases activity of IL2R)
This is one way that you can get type 1 DM…
viral infection induces islet cell injury & inflammation –> leads to exposure of self B cell antigens and activation of autoreactive T-cells
Two ways in which a virus can lead to type 1 DM…
molecular mimicry: viral proteins mimic B cell antigens & the immune response cross reacts
precipitating virus: viral infection early in life could persist in tissue –> subsequent infection with a similar virus could elicit an immune response against infected islet cells
In type 1 DM, there is slow, progressive destruction of islet cells. About what percentage of the beta cells must be destroyed before hyperglycemia & ketosis occur?
greater than 90%