Topic 5b- Hormones / endocrine system + blood glucose

Question 1

What are hormones?

Answer 1

Chemical messengers which travel in the blood to activate target cells.

Question 2

What does the endocrine system do?

Answer 2

The endocrine system uses hormones to react to changes in the environment or changes inside the body.

Question 3

Where is insulin produced?

Answer 3

The pancreas

Question 4

Where is thyroxine produced and what does it do?

Answer 4

• Produced in the thyroid
• Regulates things like the rate of metabolism, heart rate and temperature

Question 5

Where is adrenaline produced?

Answer 5

Adrenal glands

Question 6

Where is oestrogen produced?

Answer 6

Ovaries

Question 7

Where is testosterone produced?

Answer 7

Testes

Question 8

What are differences between nerves and hormones?

Answer 8

Nerves:
* fast action
* act for a short amount of time
* acts on a very precise area

Hormones:
* slower action
* act for a long time
* acts on more general area

Question 9

Where are changes in blood glucose levels measured?

Answer 9

Pancreas

Question 10

Explain how a person’s blood glucose levels are controlled after eating carbohydrates.

Answer 10

1. After a meal containing carbohydrates, the person’s blood sugar levels rise.
2. This rise is detected by the pancreas.
3. The pancreas responds by producing insulin.
4. The insulin is secreted into the blood.
5. The insulin causes body cells to take up more glucose from the blood.
6. In liver and muscles, glucose is converted into the storage molecule glycogen.
7. Blood glucose levels fall.

Question 11

What does insulin do?

Answer 11

Causes the body cells to take up more glucose from the blood.

Question 12

Explain how a person’s blood glucose levels are regulated if they become too low.

Answer 12

1. If a person’s blood glucose level decreases, it is detected by the pancreas.
2. Pancreas responds by producing glucagon which is secreted into the blood.
3. Glucagon causes the glucose stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen to turn back into glucose.
4. The glucose enters the blood again.
5. This causes the blood glucose levels to rise.

Question 13

What is type 1 diabetes?

Answer 13

A condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin resulting in the person’s blood glucose level rising dangerously that it could kill them.

Question 14

How does type 1 diabetes need to be controlled?

Answer 14

1. Insulin therapy (injecting insulin into the blood)
2. Limiting the intake of foods rich in carbohydrates
3. Regular exercise

Question 15

What is type 2 diabetes?

Answer 15

When a person becomes