☆1869: Paul Langerhans describes “islands of clear cells” in his thesis on the microanatomy of the pancreas. Their function remains unknown at this time.

☆1890: Oskar Minkowski removes the pancreas from a dog in an experiment with von Meyer to study the role of pancreatic secretions in fat digestion. The dog subsequently develops diabetes, establishing the pancreatic origin of diabetes.

☆1921: Frederick Banting collaborates with Charles Best in the laboratory of JJR Macleod at the University of Toronto, conducting experiments on administering pancreatic extracts to diabetic dogs. Biochemist James Collip later joins the team.

☆1922: Pancreatic extract is administered to a 14-year-old boy suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The treatment results in a dramatic improvement, marking the first human life saved by insulin.

☆1923: Frederick Banting and JJR Macleod are awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin.

Learn: Control of Blood Glucose & The Endocrine Pancreas (Physiology)