Explain the control of blood glucose concentration, including the roles of glucagon, insulin, and a and B in the pancreatic islets Pancreas: exocrine and endocrine gland Location: – below stomach

Inside Pancreas: – Exocrine cells: produce digestive enzymes which are released into the small intestine via the pancreatic duct – Endocrine cells: clustered into the islets of Langerhans, produce hormones, help regulate blood glucose levels The islets of Langerhans Exocrine pancreatic cells

Glucose: – Absorbed from digested food – Used in cellular respiration – Can be converted to glycogen and stored Glucagon: – Protein hormone – Is secreted into the blood – Will travel to all parts of body, but liver is targeted – Hepatocytes respond to glucagon in the liver by converting glycogen to glucose and releasing it to the blood

When blood glucose levels are too low glucagon is secreted by the a cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas When blood glucose levels are too high the B cells in the lislets of the Langerhans, in the pancreas, will secrete insulin Insulin: a protein hormone that is secreted into the blood Makes muscle cells absrob more glucose Muscle cells and hepatocytes convert glucose into glycogen

Distinguish between type I and type II diabetes Diabetes: a metabolic disorder where the person does not produce enough insulin or the body does not react properly to insulin – Often results in hyperglycemia (overabundance of glucose in blood) which causes damage to nerves and retina in eye Type 1 – Not enough insulin produced by beta (B) cells – Causes Body producing antibodies against insulin and/or B cells in the islets of Langerhans – Treatment Regularly injecting insulin Pancreas or B cell transplantation

Type 2 - Insufficient amounts of insulin produced AND cells have become less sensitive to insulin – Causes- unknown, but these factors contribute: Obesity, increasing age, family history – Treatment Reduced carbohydrate intake and increase exercise Weight loss Medication – To increase production of insulin – To lower blood glucose levels NEITHER CAN BE CURED, BUT CAN BE TREATED! Nicole, Tri, Emily, Siobhan