Somatostatin: Likely the most widely effective gastrointestinal hormone in the human body

Table 1 Localization of somatostatin

Organs	Type of Cells	Location
Major sites
Nervous system	Neurons	Hypothalamus
		Cerebral cortex
		Limbic system
		Basal ganglia
		Major sensory systems
		Spinal cord
		Dorsal root ganglia
		Autonomic ganglia
Pancreas	D-cells	Islets
Gut	D-cells	Mucosal glands
	Neurons	Submucous and myenteric plexuses
Minor sites
Adrenal		Scattered medullary cells
Placenta		Cytotrophoblasts in chorionic villi
Reproductive organs		Testis, epididymis, prostate
Submandibular Gland	D-cells	Scattered ductal cells
Thyroid	C-cells	Scattered parafollicular cells, coexisting with calcitonin
Urinary system		Scattered cells in renal glomerulus and collecting ducts
Miscellaneous		Thymus, heart, eyes, erythrocytes