What aspect of kidney function is controlled by the Islets of Langerhans?

Answer 1

The islets of Langerhans are clusters of cells found throughout the pancreas. These islets release various hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin. Insulin's famous role is in the regulation of blood glucose concentration, but it also has a role in the regulation of sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion in the kidney.

Insulin acts in special cells of the kidney called the principal cells of the collecting tubule. There it works in the same way as another hormone called aldosterone, which is released by the adrenal gland. Like aldosterone, insulin activates the sodium-potassium pump in the principal cell, ultimately increasing sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion. For this reason (and the fact that insulin also increases the shift of potassium into other cells of the body), insulin is commonly used to treat potassium overload (hyperkalemia).

Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that insulin controlssodium reabsorption and potassium secretion in the kidney, because that certainly isn't the case. Insulin can work to some degree in this regulation as described above, but the major mechanisms of sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion involve aldosterone, potassium concentration, and some other factors.

This is the most obvious connection between the pancreas and kidney that I can think of. Perhaps there is something more relevant.