Pacreatic Hormone

Question 1

What is the main job of the endocrine pancreas?

Answer 1

It controls blood sugar levels by releasing insulin and glucagon.

Question 2

What happens if blood sugar is too low?

Answer 2

You may feel dizzy, weak, or pass out

Question 3

What happens if blood sugar is too high?

Answer 3

It can lead to diabetes, which causes eye, kidney, and heart problems

Question 4

What are the two parts of the pancreas?

Answer 4

1. Exocrine pancreas - makes digestive enzymes.
2. Endocrine pancreas - makes insulin and glucagon.

Question 5

What are the Islets of Langerhans?

Answer 5

Small clusters of cells in the pancreas that release hormones

Question 6

What do a (alpha) cells make?

Answer 6

Glucagon, which raises blood sugar

Question 7

What do B(beta) cells make?

Answer 7

Insulin, which lowers blood sugar.

Question 8

What do D(delta) cells make?

Answer 8

Somatostatin, which stops insulin and glucagon release.

Question 9

What happens when B cells are destroyed?

Answer 9

Type 1 diabetes - no insulin is made, so blood sugar stays high.

Question 10

What does insulin do?

Answer 10

It lowers blood sugar by helping cells take in glucose.

Question 11

Where is insulin made?

Answer 11

In B cells of the pancreas

Question 12

What is insulin made from?

Answer 12

Preproinsulin -> Proinsulin -> Insulin + C-peptide.

Question 13

Why is C-peptide measured in blood tests?

Answer 13

It shows if insulin is coming from the pancreas (natural) or an injection (synthetic).

Question 14

What does glucagon do?

Answer 14

Raises blood sugar when it gets too low.

Question 15

Where is glucagon made?

Answer 15

In a cells of the pancreas.

Question 16

What is glucagon made from?

Answer 16

Proglucagon, which can also make GLP-1 (a hormone that lowers blood sugar).

Question 17

What happens if there is too much glucagon?

Answer 17

It can cause glucagonoma, a rare tumor that leads to high blood sugar, weight loss, and skin rash.

Question 18

What happens after eating?

Answer 18

Blood sugar goes up, so the pancreas releases insulin to store it.

Question 19

What happens when fasting or exercising?

Answer 19

Blood sugar goes down, so the pancreas releases glucagon to release stored sugar

Question 20

What is the normal fasting blood sugar range?

Answer 20

60-100 mg/dL

Question 21

How does insulin help glucose enter cells?

Answer 21

It binds to the insulin receptor, which activates GLUT4 transporters

Question 22

What does GLUT4 do?

Answer 22

Moves glucose into muscle and fat cells.

Question 23

Which cells do NOT need insulin to take in glucose?

Answer 23

Brain, liver, and red blood cells.

Question 24

What happens if insulin doesn’t work properly?

Answer 24

Type 2 diabetes, where cells don’t respond well to insulin (insulin resistance)

Question 25

How does glucagon increase blood sugar?

Answer 25

By stimulating: 1. Glycogen breakdown (glycogenolysis) - releasing stored sugar. 2. Gluconeogenesis - making new sugar from amino acids.

Question 26

Where does gluconeogenesis mainly happen?

Answer 26

In the liver, with a small amount in the kidneys.

Question 27

What happens when blood sugar is too high?

Answer 27

The pancreas releases insulin to lower it.

Question 28

What happens when blood sugar is too low?

Answer 28

The pancreas releases glucagon to raise it.

Question 29

How does the nervous system affect insulin and glucagon?

Answer 29

Parasympathetic (rest & digest) - Increases insulin. Sympathetic (fight or flight) - Increases glucagon, decreases insulin.

Question 30

How does the gut help control insulin release?

Answer 30

The gut releases incretins (GLP-1 and GIP), which increase insulin and decrease glucagon.

Question 31

What are incretin-based drugs used for?

Answer 31

Treating Type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin and decreasing blood sugar.

Question 32

What causes Type 1 diabetes?

Answer 32

Autoimmune destruction of B cells, so no insulin is made

Question 33

What causes Type 2 diabetes?

Answer 33

Insulin resistance - the body makes insulin, but cells don’t respond well.

Question 34

What happens in severe diabetes when insulin is very low?

Answer 34

The body burns fat for energy, producing ketones, which can cause ketoacidosis

Question 35

What are the two main hormones that control blood sugar?

Answer 35

Insulin and glucagon

Question 36

Which hormone lowers blood sugar?

Answer 36

Insulin

Question 37

Which hormone raises blood sugar?

Answer 37

Glucagon

Question 38

What happens when you eat a lot of sugar?

Answer 38

The pancreas releases insulin to store it

Question 39

What happens when you fast for a long time?

Answer 39

The pancreas releases glucagon to release stored sugar.

Question 40

What is a key insulin transporter?

Answer 40

GLUT4