Role of glucagon in control of blood sugar levels - Higher
Negative feedback
In blood glucose regulation, the hormone insulin plays a key role. When blood sugar rises in the blood, insulin sends a signal to the liver, muscles and other cells to store the excess glucose. Some is stored as body fat and other is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. If the blood glucose level is too low, the pancreas releases the hormone glucagon. This travels to the liver in the blood and causes the break-down of glycogen into glucose. The glucose enters the blood stream and glucose levels increase back to normal.
This is an example of negative feedback.
How glucose is regulated
| Blood glucose | Pancreas | Liver | Effect on glucose |
| Too high | Insulin secreted into the blood | Liver converts glucose into glycogen | Goes down |
| Too low | Glucagon (not insulin) is secreted into the blood. | Liver does not convert glucose into glycogen. Glycogen is converted to glucose. | Goes up |
| Blood glucose | Too high |
|---|---|
| Pancreas | Insulin secreted into the blood |
| Liver | Liver converts glucose into glycogen |
| Effect on glucose | Goes down |
| Blood glucose | Too low |
|---|---|
| Pancreas | Glucagon (not insulin) is secreted into the blood. |
| Liver | Liver does not convert glucose into glycogen. Glycogen is converted to glucose. |
| Effect on glucose | Goes up |