Pancreas and the endocannabinoid system
Insulin-secreting islets.
Insulin-secreting islets. Where the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 sit in this region, what they do there, and what is actually known about CBD; at three levels for Everyone, Students and Experts, with sources.
Digestion and metabolismCB1 low · CB2 very low (Human Protein Atlas)Last updated:
What's on this page?
Interactive 3D · real anatomy and real data
Where in your body are the cannabinoid receptors?
About 1.4 MB to download.
Regions
How to read it Choose a region, or tap a glowing point on the map.
- Solid light is the CB1 receptor, a ring is CB2. Each region has its own color; the color only tells regions apart.
- The strength of the light is the receptor gene level measured in human tissue (Human Protein Atlas). That is why the liver’s point is dim: a healthy liver has few receptors.
- With the layer selector above you can also see other receptors, the enzymes that make and break down endocannabinoids, and the liver enzymes that break down CBD and THC.
- Every piece of information shows its source and the type of evidence (human, animal, cell). You can change the reading level above.
- Drag to rotate. Use the + and − buttons to zoom; on a computer, Ctrl or ⌘ with the scroll wheel, on a phone, two fingers.
Pancreas: RNA level of the receptor gene in human tissue (tissue consensus data). CB1 RNA is low across the whole organ; CB2 was not measured. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissue
| Receptor | Gene | RNA (nTPM) | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB1 | CNR1 | 1.2 | low |
| CB2 | CNR2 | 0 | very low |
What does it do there?
Across the pancreas as a whole, RNA for the CB1 receptor is measured as low. But in the islets of Langerhans, small clusters of hormone-secreting cells, the parts of the endocannabinoid system are found together: human islets taken from organ donors carried CB1 and CB2 and also contained the enzymes that make and break down 2-AG. The amount of 2-AG in the islets changed with the sugar in their surroundings. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissueBermúdez-Silva 2008Human tissueLi 2011Human tissueLi 2010Cell / labGonzález-Mariscal 2016Human tissueCell / lab
Studies do not fully agree on which islet cells carry the receptors. In human islets, stimulating CB1 increased insulin secretion in both studies; the effect of CB2 was to reduce it in one and to increase it in the other. According to reviews, beta cells can make and break down endocannabinoids themselves, and this system regulates insulin secretion; but knowledge about the human islet is still preliminary. Bermúdez-Silva 2008Human tissueLi 2011Human tissueJuan-Picó 2006AnimalAseer and Egan 2021ReviewGonzález-Mariscal and Egan 2018Review
Student level: terms and cell types
In isolated human islets of Langerhans, CB1 and CB2 mRNA and protein were shown, as well as the machinery for making and breaking down 2-AG; glucose changed the islet 2-AG level. On immunofluorescence, CB1 was dense in glucagon-secreting α cells and less so in β cells; CB2 was dense in somatostatin-secreting δ cells. Another group found both receptors in the same place as β cells. In human β cells and hepatocytes, a CB1 isoform not found in the brain (CB1b) was identified. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissueBermúdez-Silva 2008Human tissueLi 2011Human tissueLi 2010Cell / labGonzález-Mariscal 2016Human tissueCell / lab
In static secretion experiments in human islets, CB1 stimulation increased insulin and glucagon secretion, and CB2 agonism reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In perifusion experiments, however, both CB1 and CB2 agonists stimulated insulin secretion; unexpectedly, the antagonists did too. In mouse islets, cannabinoid receptors regulated β cell Ca²⁺ signals and insulin secretion. According to a review, β cells carry the enzymes needed to make and break down endocannabinoids; there are conflicting findings on the role of CB1 in the β cell. Bermúdez-Silva 2008Human tissueLi 2011Human tissueJuan-Picó 2006AnimalAseer and Egan 2021ReviewGonzález-Mariscal and Egan 2018Review
Expert level: method notes and numbers
Pancreas: RNA level of the receptor gene in human tissue (tissue consensus data). CB1 RNA is low across the whole organ; CB2 was not measured. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissue
Method note
Bermúdez-Silva 2008: isolated human islets and pancreas sections; real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, static secretion experiments; sample size not in the abstract. Li 2011: isolated islets from organ donors, perifusion; the stimulating effect of the antagonists suggests pathways independent of CB1/CB2. Juan-Picó 2006: mouse islets. González-Mariscal 2016: human CB1 isoforms and CHO cells. The treatment interpretations in the reviews were not used. Bermúdez-Silva 2008Human tissueLi 2011Human tissueJuan-Picó 2006AnimalGonzález-Mariscal 2016Human tissueCell / lab
What is known about CBD?
In the laboratory, CBD increased intracellular calcium and insulin secretion in mouse islets. This effect persisted in islets from mice lacking the GPR55 receptor; in other words, it worked through another pathway. This is an animal tissue experiment. Liu 2016AnimalHuman tissue
No effect found Insufficient evidence
In the guide: Diabetes and CBD
Research has not shown that CBD helps with this. If you are considering CBD, you can talk with your doctor or pharmacist, including about the medicines you take.
Which receptor and enzyme genes are read in this region?
Values in this region for the genes in the map's layer selector: besides CB1 and CB2, the other targets of cannabinoids, the enzymes that make and break down endocannabinoids, and the liver enzymes that break down CBD and THC.
| Gene | What does it do? | Here | Tissue where it is read the most |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receptors | |||
| CB1 CNR1 | Cannabinoid receptor | 1.2 | cerebral cortex (18.6) |
| CB2 CNR2 | Cannabinoid receptor | 0.0 | spleen (8.4) |
| TRPV1 | Heat and chili pepper sensor · ion channel | 6.7 | liver (21.8) |
| GPR55 | Long an "orphan" receptor · in the cell membrane | 0.0 | testis (4.4) |
| PPARγ PPARG | Gene switch · in the cell nucleus | 2.4 | adipose tissue (153.2) |
| 5-HT1A HTR1A | Serotonin receptor · in the cell membrane | 0.0 | hippocampal formation (6.1) |
| TRPV2 | Relative of TRPV1 · ion channel | 6.1 | lung (29.5) |
| Endocannabinoid enzymes | |||
| NAPE-PLD NAPEPLD | Makes anandamide | 3.3 | kidney (13.9) |
| FAAH | Breaks down anandamide | 22.3 | testis (46.0) |
| DAGLα DAGLA | Makes 2-AG | 3.8 | cerebral cortex (12.3) |
| DAGLβ DAGLB | Makes 2-AG | 6.8 | adrenal gland (15.2) |
| MGL MGLL | Breaks down 2-AG | 7.1 | adipose tissue (161.3) |
| ABHD6 | Breaks down 2-AG | 2.6 | liver (60.7) |
| ABHD12 | Breaks down 2-AG | 111.1 | epididymis (125.2) |
| Enzymes that break down CBD and THC | |||
| CYP3A4 | Breaks down CBD and THC | 25.3 | liver (3,367.1) |
| CYP2C19 | Breaks down CBD | 0.0 | liver (178.0) |
| CYP2C9 | Breaks down THC | 0.2 | liver (1,607.6) |
RNA level shows how much the gene is read in this tissue; it does not directly show the amount of protein or how active an enzyme is. Human Protein Atlas (layers)Human tissue
Identifiers and citation
- Pancreas
- Pancreas · MeSH D010179 · UBERON 0001264 · Wikidata Q9618
- Receptors
- CB1 (CNR1, UniProt P21554) · CB2 (CNR2, UniProt P34972)
How to cite: cbd.school editorial team. Pancreas and the endocannabinoid system. Endocannabinoid system 3D map, cbd.school. Last updated October 24, 2026. https://cbd.school/learn/endocannabinoid-system-map/pankreas/
The body model is derived from BodyParts3D (DBCLS, CC BY 4.0) and Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0); receptor levels from Human Protein Atlas v25 (CC BY 4.0). The map, text and downloaded images are CC BY-SA 4.0. An independent expert review has not been done yet. All licenses
Other pages of the map
Overview: what the endocannabinoid system is, the feedback brake at the synapse, CBD's targets, lesson mode, data and licenses.
Sources
Show 10 references
- Human Protein Atlas v25: tissue RNA consensus data (rna_tissue_consensus.tsv, HPA and GTEx, nTPM) and brain region data (rna_brain_region_hpa.tsv, nTPM), CNR1 (ENSG00000118432) and CNR2 (ENSG00000188822); v25.proteinatlas.org, file date November 6, 2025, downloaded October 24, 2026. Uhlén M et al. Tissue-based map of the human proteome. Science. 2015;347(6220):1260419. License CC BY 4.0. PMID 25613900 · doi:10.1126/science.1260419 Human tissue
- Bermúdez-Silva FJ, Suárez J, Baixeras E et al. Presence of functional cannabinoid receptors in human endocrine pancreas. Diabetologia. 2008;51(3):476-87. PMID 18092149 · doi:10.1007/s00125-007-0890-y Human tissue
- Li C, Bowe JE, Huang GC et al. Cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists stimulate insulin secretion from isolated human islets of Langerhans. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2011;13(10):903-10. PMID 21564460 · doi:10.1111/j.1463-1326.2011.01422.x Human tissue
- Li C, Jones PM, Persaud SJ. Cannabinoid receptors are coupled to stimulation of insulin secretion from mouse MIN6 beta-cells. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2010;26(2):187-96. PMID 20798502 · doi:10.1159/000320527 Cell / lab
- González-Mariscal I, Krzysik-Walker SM, Doyle ME et al. Human CB1 Receptor Isoforms, present in Hepatocytes and β-cells, are Involved in Regulating Metabolism. Sci Rep. 2016;6:33302. PMID 27641999 · doi:10.1038/srep33302 Human tissueCell / lab
- Juan-Picó P, Fuentes E, Bermúdez-Silva FJ et al. Cannabinoid receptors regulate Ca(2+) signals and insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cell. Cell Calcium. 2006;39(2):155-62. PMID 16321437 · doi:10.1016/j.ceca.2005.10.005 Animal
- Aseer KR, Egan JM. An Autonomous Cannabinoid System in Islets of Langerhans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021;12:699661. PMID 34290671 · doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.699661 Review
- González-Mariscal I, Egan JM. Endocannabinoids in the Islets of Langerhans: the ugly, the bad, and the good facts. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2018;315(2):E174-E179. PMID 29631361 · doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00338.2017 Review
- Liu B, Song S, Ruz-Maldonado I et al. GPR55-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion from isolated mouse and human islets of Langerhans. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2016;18(12):1263-1273. PMID 27561953 · doi:10.1111/dom.12780 AnimalHuman tissue
- Human Protein Atlas v25: tissue RNA consensus data (rna_tissue_consensus.tsv, HPA and GTEx, nTPM), the 17 genes in the map's layer selector: CNR1, CNR2, TRPV1, GPR55, PPARG, HTR1A, TRPV2, NAPEPLD, FAAH, DAGLA, DAGLB, MGLL, ABHD6, ABHD12, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2C9; v25.proteinatlas.org/download/tsv/rna_tissue_consensus.tsv.zip, downloaded October 24, 2026. Uhlén M et al. Tissue-based map of the human proteome. Science. 2015;347(6220):1260419. License CC BY 4.0. PMID 25613900 · doi:10.1126/science.1260419 Human tissue