Question

When blood glucose levels decrease, in between meals, during fasting or from starvation, increased levels of ________ help to induce gluconeogenesis
a) Insulin
b) Glucagon
c) Epinephrine
d) Adrenalin
e) C and D

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Glucagon

Explanation:

Glucagon is a pancreatic hormone, secreted by the alpha cells of islets of Langerhans. Whenever the blood glucose level falls, glucagon is released to increase the blood glucose levels. This function of glucagon is quite opposite to the function of insulin and hence both are antagonistic hormones. Insulin reduces the blood glucose where as glucagon increases the blood glucose.

Glucoagon is large polypeptide of 29 amino acids. Since it helps in increasing the blood glucose homeostatic levels it is called as hyperglycemic hormone. It does so by stimulating certain processes such as:

- Stimulating Glycogenolysis i.e breakdown of glycogen to release more glucose from liver.  

- Stimulating Gluconeogenesis i.e. synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources like proteins.

- Glucagon inhibits the process of glycogenesis i.e. synthesis of glycogen, the storage form of glucose.