Blood Glucose Control

• What organ is responsible for controlling blood glucose?

  Pancreas
• How does the pancreas control blood glucose?

  It can release:

  • Insulin
  • Glucagon
• What is the reason blood glucose levels go up?

  • Eating meal with high carbs
• What are the reasons for blood glucose decrease?

  • Exercising
  • Sleeping
  • Anything that doesn't involve eating
  • Because all these activities require respiration and glucose is a reactant in respiration
• Describe the body's response to an increase in blood glucose (4 marks)

  • Blood glucose rises and this is detected by glucose receptors in pancreas
  • Pancreas releases insulin
  • This stimulates liver cells to convert glucose to glycogen
  • Pancreas stops releasing insulin when blood glucose levels are normal
• Describe the body's response to a decrease in blood glucose

  • Blood glucose decrease is detected by glucose receptors in pancreas
  • Pancreas releases glucagon
  • This stimulates liver cells to convert glycogen to glucose
  • When glucose levels are normal pancreas stops releasing glucagon
  • This is a negative feedback loop