Pancreatic islets and transdifferentiate into beta cells in both healthy and diabetic human and mouse pancreatic islets, a possible future source for beta cell regeneration. Pancreatic islets The pancreatic islets or islets of Langerhans are the regions of the pancreas that contain its endocrine (hormone-producing) cells, discovered in 1869 by German pathological anatomist Paul Langerhans. The pancreatic islets constitute 1 to 2% of the pancreas volume and receive 10–15% of its blood flow. The pancreatic islets are arranged in density routes throughout the human pancreas, and are important in the metabolism of glucose. There are about 3 million islets distributed in the
Langerhans cell morphology and function to macrophages. Langerin is a protein found in Langerhans cells, and other types of dendritic cells. In the rare disease Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), an excess of cells similar to these cells are produced. However LCH cells stain positive to CD14 which is a monocyte marker and shows a different, hematopoietic origin for the disorder. LCH can cause damage to skin, bone and other organs. Langerhans cells may be initial cellular targets in the sexual transmission of HIV, and may be a target, reservoir, and vector of dissemination. Langerhans cells have been observed in foreskin, vaginal, and