1. Which cells of the pancreas are the endocrine cells? How were you able to differentiate these cells when viewing the slide? Do these cells make up the majority or the minority of the pancreatic tissue?

Endocrine cells in the pancreas are referred to as Islets of Langerhan. There are two major types; Beta cell that produce insulin and alpha cells that produce glucagon.

They are identified when viewed under slides based on their colour reactions with histological dyes. Tinctorial techniques that can be used to identify them under microscope includes; Mallory-Heidenhain azan trichrome, chromium hematoxylin and phloxine, aldehyde fuchsin, and silver impregnation methods.

Islets of Langerhan cells make up minority of the cell. Majority of them are for exocrine functions.