Every machine needs a brake, and so does your stomach. D cells send out somatostatin, a messenger that says: slow down!
Drag to turn it around. Use the buttons to zoom in and try things from the lessons.
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D cells are scattered through the lining of your stomach and small intestine. There are also D cells in the pancreas.
Many D cells in the stomach have long, thin arms. The arms reach over to touch nearby cells, like a hand on a shoulder. The cell's bottom and arms hold little bubbles of somatostatin.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Slow down! to watch the message travel along the arm.
When the stomach gets very acidic, D cells notice. They let out somatostatin.
Somatostatin tells the G cells to send less gastrin, and tells the acid makers to slow down. That keeps the stomach from making more acid than it needs.
Your body uses lots of go signals and stop signals together. D cells are a stop signal, so your gut stays balanced.
By Operation Ouch. A fun video for kids.
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