What is the primary function of somatostatin?

Somatostatin primarily functions as an inhibitory hormone that regulates various endocrine and exocrine processes in the body. One of its key roles is to inhibit the release of several hormones, most notably glucagon and insulin from the pancreas. By doing so, somatostatin helps to maintain homeostasis in blood glucose levels.

When blood sugar levels rise, insulin is released to facilitate glucose uptake by cells. Conversely, when blood sugar levels drop, glucagon is released to stimulate the release of glucose from the liver. Somatostatin acts to modulate these responses, ensuring that neither insulin nor glucagon is released excessively, which could lead to imbalances in glucose metabolism.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the primary action of somatostatin. For instance, stimulating glucose production in the liver and promoting the release of growth hormone are not functions of somatostatin; rather, they are actions associated with other hormones. Enhancing renal function is also not a primary function of somatostatin, as its role is more related to endocrine regulation than renal performance. Thus, the focus of somatostatin on inhibiting glucagon and insulin release clearly defines its primary function in the endocrine system.