Question

Provide a detailed overview of blood glucose homeostasis which is controlled by hormones.

Answer 1

The control of blood glucose is mainly made by a negative feedback loop linked with the hormones insulin and glucagon, where the insulin is in charge of effectively lowering the blood glucose levels. We can divide the process of control of the blood glucose homeostasis in some events, being those events:

1 - The stimuli - when the body receives sugars from the food the glucose levels in the blood rises;

2 - Beta cells - the stimuli is receive by the control center of the levels of blood glucose (pancreas), and the Beta cells of the pancreas releases insulin into the blood;

3 - Insulin function - the insulin takes the glucose that is free in the blood to the liver (takes up glucose and stores it as glucagon) and to body cells, making the blood levels of glucose to decline;

Homeostasis = blood glucose 90mg/mL.

4 - The stimuli - when blood glucose level falls, after some time before meals and physical activities;

5 - Alpha cells - the stimuli is receive by the control center of the levels of blood glucose (pancreas), and the Alpha cells of the pancreas releases glucagon;

6 - Glucagon function - the glucagon released by the pancreas goes to the liver and promote the break of glycogen molecules, it causes the release of glucose into the blood, since glycogen is a reserve of glucose of animals, the blood glucose level rises;

Homeostasis = blood glucose 90mg/mL.