Regulating Glucose

• The terms 'blood glucose levels' or 'blood glucose concentration' just refer to how much glucose is dissolved in our blood plasma. 

  So a high blood glucose concentration means that there are lots of glucose molecules dissolved in the blood. 
• What happens if blood glucose concentrations fall too low? 


  There won't be enough glucose for tissue cells to respire
• After eating, does our blood glucose concentration increase or decrease? 

  Increase

  • Blood glucose levels will increase after a meal as we absorb glucose from the food. 
• Which organ detects changes in blood glucose concentration?

  Pancreas
• Which hormone decreases blood glucose levels? 

  Insulin
• What are the two main organs that insulin stimulates to absorb glucose from the blood?


  Muscles

  Liver
• When glucose is absorbed by the liver for long term storage, what molecule is it converted to?


  Glycogen
• How glucagon works

  • When blood glucose levels fall too low, it's detected by the pancreas.
  • This causes the pancreas to release the hormone glucagon into the blood stream.
  • This hormone then travels around the body, and binds mainly to cells in the liver.
  • This stimulates those liver cells to break down their stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the blood. 
  • This extra glucose increases blood glucose levels back up to normal.