Final answer:
The process of creating glucose from non-carbohydrate sources is known as gluconeogenesis, which mainly occurs in the liver and kidneys to maintain blood glucose levels during periods of low dietary glucose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The creation of glucose from stored non-carb sources is called gluconeogenesis. This metabolic pathway is essential for maintaining blood glucose levels, especially during periods when dietary glucose is low or absent, such as fasting or starvation. Gluconeogenesis takes place primarily in the liver and, to a lesser extent, in the kidneys, enabling vital organs like the brain and red blood cells (RBC), which rely exclusively on glucose for energy, to function properly. The process uses precursors such as pyruvate, lactate, glycerol, and gluconeogenic amino acids like alanine and glutamine to synthesize new glucose molecules.
It's worth noting that this process is different from glycogenesis, which is the synthesis of glycogen from glucose, and glycolysis, which is the metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose into pyruvate. Given the provided options, the correct answer to the student's question is b) Gluconeogenesis.