pancreas Flashcards
1
Q
what is the pancreas?
A
= controls glucose levels in the blood by releasing hormones
- soft organ approximately 15cm long
- lies below the stomach and alongside the duodenum
2
Q
what is insulin?
A
= reduces amount of glucose in the blood
- secreted by beta cells
- release is controlled through a feedback loop
3
Q
what does insulin do?
A
- promotes the uptake of glucose from the blood by cells of the body
- glycogenis = stimulation of glycogen formation in liver + skeletal muscles
- stimulates fat formation from glucose in adipose tissues
4
Q
what are the two hormones secreted by the islets of langerhans?
A
- insulin
- glucagon
5
Q
what is glucagon?
A
= increases blood glucose level
- secreted by alpha cells
6
Q
what does glucagon do?
A
glyocogenolysis = promotes the breakdown of glycogen
- stimulates the breakdown of fat in adipose tissues
- gluconeogenesis = glucose is made in the liver from amino acids, lactic acid and glycerol all from the blood stream
7
Q
what is diabetes?
A
when glucose concentrations are high enough to overwhelm the reabsorption capabilities of the kidneys
