Specialized cells called enteroendocrine cells can be located in the pancreas, stomach, and gastrointestinal tract. They respond to a variety of cues by producing and releasing hormones. The hormones may be dispersed as local messengers or they may be released into the bloodstream to produce systemic effects. Additionally, they might cause an anxious reaction. Despite making up only 1% of the intestinal mucosa, enteroendocrine cells are the most prevalent type of endocrine cell in the body. More than twenty peptides are produced by enteroendocrine cells in response to nutrients in the gut. The cells release a variety of peptide hormones that operate locally on nerve endings and cells in the intestinal lining depending on where they are in the gut. They also affect other systems in the body, like the pancreas.
