Controlling blood glucose

• What organ monitors and controls level of glucose?


  Pancreas
• What happens when blood glucose level is too high?


  • blood with too much glucose travels
  • pancreas secrets and releases insulin into the blood
  • it travels to the liver
  • insulin makes liver turn glucose into glycogen
  • blood glucose reduced
• What happens when the blood glucose level is too low?


  • blood with too little glucose travels
  • glucagon is secreted by pancreas
  • glucagon makes liver turn glycogen into glucose
  • glucose released into blood by liver
  • blood glucose increased
• What must the body control as part of homeostasis?

  The amount of glucose in the blood
• How does glucose enter the body?

  Via food, then stored as glycogen
• What role do hormones play in blood glucose concentration?

  They control it through a negative feedback cycle
• What do people with diabetes struggle to regulate?

  Their blood glucose levels
• What is the function of insulin in blood glucose control?

  It helps glucose move into cells and stores it
• What happens to glucose during respiration?

  It gets broken down for energy
• What does the pancreas do when blood glucose is too high?

  It releases insulin
• What does insulin do to blood glucose levels?

  It decreases them by moving glucose into cells
• What hormone is released when blood glucose levels are too low?

  Glucagon
• What does glucagon do to glycogen in the liver?

  It converts glycogen back to glucose
• What is the negative feedback cycle for blood glucose control?

  1. Pancreas detects high or low glucose levels.
  2. Releases insulin if high, glucagon if low.
  3. Insulin helps glucose enter cells and converts it to glycogen.
  4. Glucagon converts glycogen back to glucose.
• What is Type 1 diabetes characterized by?

  Little to no insulin production
• How is Type 1 diabetes treated?

  With regular insulin injections
• What causes Type 2 diabetes?

  Body cells become resistant to insulin
• What is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes?

  Obesity
• How does obesity relate to Type 2 diabetes?

  Obese people consume more carbohydrates
• How do blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes patients compare to non-diabetics?

  They struggle to keep levels down after eating
• What happens to glucose in the bloodstream of Type 2 diabetes patients?

  It moves into cells much slower