Research

Hormonal

L-cells are not a homogeneous population; they are anatomically heterogeneous, with proximal (duodenal/jejunal) L-cells primarily secreting GLP-1 in response to macronutrients, while distal (ileal/colonic) L-cells co-secrete PYY and respond to microbial metabolites like SCFAs and bile acids.

Your gut's hormonal response to food depends on where the food is absorbed. Eating fiber and fats that reach the lower intestine (via fermentation or specific fats) stimulates different hormones (like PYY) than eating simple sugars in the upper intestine. A diverse diet that reaches different parts of the gut may optimize this hormonal signaling better than focusing on a single nutrient type.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
We conclude that L-cells differ markedly depending on their anatomical location... We suggest to sub-classify L-cells based on their differential peptide contents as well as their differential expression of nutrient sensors... duodenal and jejunal L-cells are considered generally to be more nutrient-responsive... colonic L-cells may be exposed to significant amounts of secondary bile acids, SCFAs and other microbial metabolites... colonic GLP-1 secretion is stimulated to only a small extent by glucose but is, instead, robustly stimulated by bile acids
Rune E. Kuhre et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2021

Why this rating

The paper is a comprehensive review citing multiple human, animal, and in vitro studies, though it notes limitations in current experimental models.

Source

What Is an L-Cell and How Do We Study the Secretory Mechanisms of the L-Cell?

Rune E. Kuhre et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2021

DOI 10.3389/fendo.2021.694284

narrative_reviewCited 71×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →