AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
(HT only) If the blood glucose concentration is too low, the pancreas…
Full specification wording
Control of blood glucose concentration: (HT only) If the blood glucose concentration is too low, the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon that causes glycogen to be converted into glucose and released into the blood.
Blood glucose is controlled by negative feedback.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 12 of 13
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Blood glucose is controlled by negative feedback. When blood glucose falls too low, such as after exercise or between meals, the pancreas detects this and releases glucagon into the blood. Glucagon travels to liver cells and stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, a storage polysaccharide, into glucose. The glucose is released from liver cells into the blood, so blood glucose concentration rises back towards normal. This is an example of negative feedback because the response reverses the original change. Insulin and glucagon therefore have opposite effects: insulin lowers blood glucose, while glucagon raises it. The liver acts as the main store of glycogen and the key target organ for glucagon.
What earns the marks
- State that the pancreas detects a fall in blood glucose concentration.
- Name glucagon as the hormone released by the pancreas when blood glucose is too low.
- Describe glucagon travelling in the blood to liver cells.
- Explain that glucagon causes glycogen to be converted into glucose.
- State that the glucose is released into the blood, raising blood glucose concentration.
- Recognise this as negative feedback and contrast glucagon with insulin.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing glycogen with glucagon.
Put it right by stating that glycogen is the storage polysaccharide and glucagon is the hormone.
Saying that glucagon is released when blood glucose is too high.
Put it right by linking glucagon to a fall in blood glucose.
Stating that glucagon converts glucose into glycogen.
Put it right by explaining that glucagon causes glycogen to be converted into glucose.
Exam tips
- Use the sequence: detected by pancreas, glucagon released, liver responds, glycogen converted to glucose, glucose released into blood.
- Name the target organ, the liver, and the storage molecule, glycogen, explicitly.
- Link the response back to negative feedback by stating that blood glucose returns towards normal.
Try the lesson
The start of the Control of blood glucose concentration: (HT only) If the blood glucose concentration is too low, the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon that causes glycogen to be converted into glucose and released into the blood. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which hormone does the pancreas produce when the blood glucose concentration is too low?
Listen
Blood glucose is controlled by negative feedback. When blood glucose falls too low, such as after exercise or between meals, the pancreas detects this and releases glucagon into the blood. Glucagon travels to liver cells and stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, a storage polysaccharide, into glucose. The glucose is released from liver cells into the blood, so blood glucose concentration rises back towards normal. This is an example of negative feedback because the response reverses the original change. Insulin and glucagon therefore have opposite effects: insulin lowers blood glucose, while glucagon raises it. The liver acts as the main store of glycogen and the key target organ for glucagon. A strong answer earns marks for these points. State that the pancreas detects a fall in blood glucose concentration. Name glucagon as the hormone released by the pancreas when blood glucose is too low. Describe glucagon travelling in the blood to liver cells. Explain that glucagon causes glycogen to be converted into glucose. A common slip: Confusing glycogen with glucagon. Instead, stating that glycogen is the storage polysaccharide and glucagon is the hormone. Exam tip: Use the sequence: detected by pancreas, glucagon released, liver responds, glycogen converted to glucose, glucose released into blood.
See it
Put it in order
Put these steps in the order they happen.
- 1. Negative feedback: response reverses the original change
- 2. Blood glucose concentration rises back towards normal
- 3. Glucagon travels in the blood to liver cells
- 4. Glucose released into the blood
- 5. Blood glucose concentration too low
- 6. Pancreas detects fall and produces glucagon
- 7. Glycogen converted into glucose
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Negative feedback
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Hormonal control
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Liver and glycogen
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Blood glucose homeostasis
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See every definition
- Negative feedback
- A response that reverses the original change, so blood glucose concentration rises back towards normal.
- Hormonal control
- The pancreas produces the hormone glucagon, which travels in the blood to liver cells.
- Liver and glycogen
- The liver acts as the main store of glycogen, a storage polysaccharide, and the key target organ for glucagon.
- Blood glucose homeostasis
- When blood glucose falls too low, glucagon causes glycogen to be converted into glucose and released into the blood.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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