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WAHuman BiologyQuick questions
Unit 3: Homeostasis and Disease
Quick questions on Regulation of blood glucose: WACE Year 12 Human Biology Unit 3
3short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are the pancreas?Show answer
The pancreas contains clusters of endocrine cells called the islets of Langerhans. These cells both monitor blood glucose and respond to it, so the pancreas is both the receptor and the hormone-secreting effector in this loop.
What is lowering blood glucose?Show answer
When blood glucose rises above the set point (for example after eating), beta cells secrete insulin into the blood. Insulin acts mainly on the liver and muscle cells, making them take up glucose from the blood and convert it to glycogen for storage (glycogenesis). It also makes body cells take up and use more glucose. As glucose moves out of the blood and into storage, the concentration falls back toward the set point, which switches off insulin secretion.
What is raising blood glucose?Show answer
When blood glucose falls below the set point (for example between meals or during exercise), alpha cells secrete glucagon. Glucagon acts on the liver, making it break stored glycogen back down into glucose (glycogenolysis) and release it into the blood, and promoting the production of new glucose from other molecules. Blood glucose rises back toward the set point, which switches off glucagon secretion.
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