5.8 - Regulating Glucose

Cards (8)

  • What happens if blood glucose concentrations fall too low?
    There won’t be enough glucose for tissue cells to respire
  • Blood glucose levels increase after we eat a meal, as our body absorbs glucose from the food.
  • Which organ detects changes in blood glucose concentration?
    Pancreas
  • Which hormone decreases blood glucose levels?
    Insulin
  • Which two main organs do insulin stimulate to absorb glucose from the blood?
    Liver
    Muscles
  • When glucose is absorbed by the liver or muscles for long term storage, what is it converted into? 

    Glycogen
  • How glucagon works:
    1. When blood glucose levels fall too low, it’s detected by the pancreas
    2. Pancreas releases glucagon into bloodstream
    3. Hormone travels around body, mainly binds to cells in the liver
    4. Stimulates liver cells to break down stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the blood
    5. This extra glucose increases blood glucose levels back up to normal
  • When blood glucose levels get high, insulin is released from the pancreas into the bloodstream. This causes organs such as the liver and muscles to absorb glucose from the blood and convert it into glycogen.