SBL PREP

Question 1

What is glucose homeostasis?

Answer 1

Keeping the blood glucose levels within a narrow range (4~8 mmol/L in healthy individuals), which is tightly regulated by hormones; insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, cortisol and growth hormone

Question 2

What is the key organ involved in glucose homeostasis?

Answer 2

the pancreas

Question 3

What is endocrine?

Answer 3

systemic secretion of hormones into the bloodstream to target organs and tissues, with examples of secretions being insulin, glucagon, cortisol, etc.

Question 4

What is exocrine?

Answer 4

the local secretion of substances into ducts or onto body surfaces, to target local/lumen-based targets, using ducts to deliver these secretions with examples being digestive enzymes, saliva, sweat and bile

Question 5

Where does the endocrine function of the pancreas occur?

Answer 5

Islets of Langerhans

Question 6

What hormones are secreted from the pancreas via the endocrine function?

Answer 6

Insulin ( B cells), Glucagon (a cells), somatostatin (delta cells) (modulates both insulin and glucagon)

Question 7

What role does insulin play in lowering blood glucose?

Answer 7

• insulin is released after meals, when blood glucose is high
• insulin lowers blood glucose by stimulating glucose uptake into muscle and fat cells via GLUT4, promoting glycogenesis (turning glucose into glycogen in liver/muscle), inhibiting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, enhancing lipogenesis (fat storage)