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Micro World

How small is a human pancreatic beta cell?

A human pancreatic beta cell is about 10 µm across.

What is measured: insulin-secreting islet cell, diameter

Human Pancreatic Beta Cell (10 µm) drawn to scale beside a red blood cell (7.5 µm) and a cloud droplet (20 µm)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Red blood cell (7.5 µm), Human Pancreatic Beta Cell (10 µm) and Cloud droplet (20 µm).

Compare

How big is that, really?

  • A little wider than a red blood cell
  • About 2 would fit across a cloud droplet
  • About 6 would fit across a human hair
  • About 5× the length of an E. coli bacterium

Learn

Facts about Human Pancreatic Beta Cell

Beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans produce and release insulin to regulate blood sugar.

Source: Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology; Endocrine Society resources

Micro World

NameSizeCompared with Human Pancreatic Beta Cell
Human T Lymphocyte7 µm0.7×
Human B Lymphocyte7 µm0.7×
Cryptococcus neoformans8 µm0.8×
Human Melanocyte8 µm0.8×
Human Natural Killer Cell10 µmsame size
Human Pancreatic Beta Cell10 µmthis page
Rhizopus Spore10 µmsame size
Human Basophil12 µm1.2×
Human Dendritic Cell15 µm1.5×
Trichomonas vaginalis15 µm1.5×

Test your sense of scale

Which is bigger: Human Pancreatic Beta Cell or Human Basophil?

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