Question

Again, select "blood glucose level" for your controlled condition, but this time, select "decrease" for your stimulus. Glucagon will be your hormonal choice. Exercise, or not eating recently, will cause blood glucose levels to fall. Glucagon is stimulated from the pancreatic islets.

Describe its affect; it's role in re-establishing homeostasis.

Answer 1

Glucagon is released in response to low blood glucose levels to increase blood sugar through glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, and its release is later inhibited once homeostasis is achieved.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the stimulus of a decrease in blood glucose level occurs, glucagon is released by the alpha cells of the pancreas. Glucagon plays a crucial role in re-establishing homeostasis by increasing the blood glucose level through processes such as glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. First, it stimulates the conversion of glycogen into glucose in the liver and muscle cells, and secondly, it promotes the creation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources in the liver.

Additionally, glucagon stimulates the release of fatty acids from adipose tissue, providing alternative energy sources for the body. This hormone's action helps reverse the hypoglycemic condition, bringing the blood glucose levels back into the normal range. As blood glucose levels reach normalcy, the release of glucagon is then inhibited to prevent hyperglycemia, demonstrating the negative feedback mechanism inherent in the endocrine system's regulation of blood sugar.