AQA · GCSE · Combined Science

    Course version: 8464 · Version from Sept 2018

    Homeostasis: blood glucose concentration

    Blood glucose concentration is controlled by homeostasis.

    Checked against the AQA 8464 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 4 of 11
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Blood glucose concentration is controlled by homeostasis. After a meal, absorbed glucose raises blood glucose; during exercise it falls. The pancreas detects these changes and releases hormones. When blood glucose is too high, insulin is secreted, causing liver and muscle cells to take up glucose and store it as glycogen. This prevents osmotic damage and ensures a steady supply for respiration.

    What earns the marks

    • Blood glucose concentration is monitored and controlled by the pancreas.
    • Insulin lowers blood glucose concentration by promoting uptake of glucose into cells and storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
    • (HT only) Glucagon raises blood glucose concentration by stimulating the liver to convert glycogen back into glucose.
    • (HT only) Insulin and glucagon are antagonistic hormones that act in a negative feedback loop.
    • The concentration rises after eating carbohydrate and falls during exercise or fasting.
    • Control prevents osmotic damage from very high glucose and maintains a steady supply for respiration.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Saying insulin 'destroys' glucose.

      Put it right: It causes cells to take glucose in and store it as glycogen, so the glucose is not destroyed.

    • Confusing the glands: insulin and (HT only) glucagon are both released by the pancreas, not by the liver.

    • Reversing the hormones' effects.

      Put it right: Insulin lowers blood glucose, whereas (HT only) glucagon raises it.

    Exam tips

    • State the stimulus, the hormone released and the effect on the liver or body cells for each direction of change.
    • (HT only) Use the terms glycogen and glucagon precisely, since they are easily confused in written answers.
    • (HT only) Explain the response as negative feedback, naming what happens when blood glucose rises and when it falls.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Homeostasis: blood glucose concentration lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which organ monitors and controls blood glucose concentration?

    Listen

    Blood glucose concentration is controlled by homeostasis. After a meal, absorbed glucose raises blood glucose; during exercise it falls. The pancreas detects these changes and releases hormones. When blood glucose is too high, insulin is secreted, causing liver and muscle cells to take up glucose and store it as glycogen. This prevents osmotic damage and ensures a steady supply for respiration. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Blood glucose concentration is monitored and controlled by the pancreas. Insulin lowers blood glucose concentration by promoting uptake of glucose into cells and storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles. HT only) Glucagon raises blood glucose concentration by stimulating the liver to convert glycogen back into glucose. HT only) Insulin and glucagon are antagonistic hormones that act in a negative feedback loop. Exam tip: State the stimulus, the hormone released and the effect on the liver or body cells for each direction of change.

    See it

    A flowchart running top to bottom. The first box says blood glucose concentration changes, and an arrow leads to a box saying the pancreas detects the change. From there two arrows branch out: one to a box saying blood glucose too high, and one to a box saying blood glucose too low (HT). The high branch leads to a box saying insulin secreted, then to a box saying liver and muscle cells take up glucose and store as glycogen. The low branch leads to a box saying glucagon secreted (HT), then to a box saying liver cells break down glycogen into glucose (HT). Both of these final boxes lead to a single box saying concentration kept stable.
    It shows how the pancreas responds to high and low blood glucose using insulin and glucagon to keep the concentration stable.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Blood glucose regulation

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Pancreatic hormones

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Glycogen storage and release

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Negative feedback and antagonistic hormones

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Blood glucose regulation
    Blood glucose concentration is monitored and controlled by the pancreas, which detects changes and releases hormones.
    Pancreatic hormones
    Insulin is secreted when blood glucose is too high, and at Higher Tier only, glucagon is secreted when it is too low.
    Glycogen storage and release
    Insulin promotes uptake of glucose into cells and storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles, while at Higher Tier only, glucagon stimulates the liver to convert glycogen back into glucose.
    Negative feedback and antagonistic hormones
    At Higher Tier only, insulin and glucagon are antagonistic hormones that act in a negative feedback loop to keep the concentration stable.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart running top to bottom. The first box says blood glucose concentration changes, and an arrow leads to a box saying the pancreas detects the change. From there two arrows branch out: one to a box saying blood glucose too high, and one to a box saying blood glucose too low (HT). The high branch leads to a box saying insulin secreted, then to a box saying liver and muscle cells take up glucose and store as glycogen. The low branch leads to a box saying glucagon secreted (HT), then to a box saying liver cells break down glycogen into glucose (HT). Both of these final boxes lead to a single box saying concentration kept stable.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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