Glucose Homeostasis Flashcards
What glucose levels cause hypoglycaemia and what does this do to CNS?
Blood gluc conc falling much below normal levels of 4-5 mmol/L impairs cerebral function
If below 2mmol/L causes unconscious coma and death
What does persistent hyperglycaemia result in?
Diabetes mellitus 2
What (4) hormones does the body secrete to increase blood glucose
- Glucagon
- Cortisol
- Growth hormone
- Catecholamines e.g. adrenaline
What hormone does the body secrete to decrease blood glucose?
Insulin
What is the most prevalent form of diabetes?
- Most prevalent is type 2
- Type 1 is 11% of all diabetes
- Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is 2/3% of all diabetes
What kind of structure does the pancreas gland have?
Retroperitoneal
Which two collections of cells make up pancreas and what do they do?
- Most of pancreas (98%) are acinar cells generates exocrine secretions via duct to small intestine like amylase and protease (purple in image)
- Small clumps of cells in pancreas (2%) are islets of Langerhans (pink in image) → even tho they only make up 2%, 10-15% of pancreatic blood supply is given to them showing importance
What cells make up the islets of Langerhans and what do they each secrete?
- alpha cells that secrete glucagon
- beta cells that secrete insulin
- delta cells that secrete somatostatin
What do the gap junctions between the cells of the islets of Langerhans allow?
They allow small molecules to pass directly between cells - paracrine communication
What is the purpose of the tight junctions between the cells of the islets of langerhans?
To create small intercellular spaces
What effect does insulin have on growth and development, and blood glucose conc?
Insulin stimulates growth and development (esp in utero) and reduces blood glucose
What effect does somatostatin have on the insulin and glucagon
Inhibitory
- Somatostatin inhibits both in a negative feedback loop to keep them in balance and ensure we’re not oversecreting either of them
How does glucagon and somatostatin affect the release of insulin from beta cells when there is a rise in blood glucose?
Glucagon stimulates release of insulin
Somatostatin inhibits the release of insulin
How do the GI hormones and amino acids affect the secretion of insulin from the beta cells when there is a rise in blood glucose?
Both increase secretion of insulin
How do SNS and PNS activity affect the secretion of insulin when there is a rise in blood glucose?
SNS activity inhibits secretion of insulin via alpha cells
PNS activity stimulates the release of insulin