Glucagon and insulin

[Mr Rayon]

Is it true that insulin and glucagon can never both be produced at the same time? If so, why? I find this pretty interesting...

[MM6]

Where did you hear that? Glucagon stimulates the release of insulin. Although they seem antagonistic, they work in concert to deliver glucose to cells.

[Phi for All]

They counter each other constantly to maintain proper blood glucose levels.

[Mr Rayon]

Where did you hear that? .

 

 

I got it from here:

 

http://www.biologymad.com/resources/A2%20Homeostasis.pdf

 

Check out the last sentence of page 4.

---

Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

They counter each other constantly to maintain proper blood glucose levels.

 

Okay, so let me just ask you this question. If blood glucose levels were to go above the normal range, would alpha cells in the pancreas produce less glucagon and beta cells in the pancreas produce more insulin?

Well, that's what my textbook says. But apparently, there is more to it then that. I'm not sure which is right?

[mrburns2012]

I don't know what the article is trying to say, but I remember learning that there is always some glucagon secretion even when blood glucose is high. And because glucagon and insulin are secreted by different cells, I don't see why they can't be produced at the same time.

[essence_of_cool]

let me guess... Voltman, you have a SAC. I know this because the last time i came on this forum, for sac help, you had one too and asked me what school i went to. Guess what... i have a Blood glucose sac now as well.

 

Maybe we can helop each other out, along with the fellow helpful contributers.

 

I agree with all but the first two posts. I also heard that glucagon inhibits production of insulin as one of its many effectts, and visa versa for insulin. Is this right?

 

Also, what kind of questions will they have on it. Mine cant just be abiut insuling and glucagon, rioght?

[Mr Rayon]

let me guess... Voltman, you have a SAC. I know this because the last time i came on this forum, for sac help, you had one too and asked me what school i went to. Guess what... i have a Blood glucose sac now as well.

 

I do have a SAC tomorrow, but it's on the nervous and hormonal system (thermoregulation). It will demonstrate how the human body responds to different temperatures. For example, the contraction of errector pili muscles (think I spelt that right) to pull hair up and trap heat, when external conditions are cold. I have gone through everything and memorised the common responses made by the body to extremely hot and cold external environments. But I am not sure what to do next. Any ideas on how I can prepare for this?

 

Maybe we can helop each other out, along with the fellow helpful contributers.

 

Yes, that would be great!

 

I agree with all but the first two posts. I also heard that glucagon inhibits production of insulin as one of its many effectts, and visa versa for insulin. Is this right?

 

Well, that's what I heard. I asked a tutor at yourtutor.com.au also and essentially they said that it is sort of true. I think there is a period where they are both secreted, before the inhibition of one starts to effect the secretion of the other. Can anyone confirm?

However, I'm not quite sure because I have a diagram of all this in my textbook and it does not mention this. It sort of contradicts my above theory. But it's definitely worth looking into.

 

Also, what kind of questions will they have on it. Mine cant just be abiut insuling and glucagon, rioght?

 

Well, I wouldn't know, every school does these things a little bit different. Have you been to this site: http://www.vcenotes.com ?

There are lots of VCE students online that may be able to help you with that over there.

 

BTW, what textbook/s do you use to study biology?

---

Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

I'm not sure which is right?

 

When I said the above quote, I meant if there was a high blood glucose level, would only insulin be produced? i.e. the secretion of insulin would inhibit that of glucagon. Or is glucagon still produced but in lesser quantities along with more insulin? I know it's not something big to worry about, but I have to get the wording right. In an exam, it could be this knowledge that seperates me from a point or two.

Edited April 27, 2009 by Voltman
Consecutive posts merged.

[essence_of_cool]

i use the nature of biology books book 2 third edition... btw, sorry if u had your sac today and got no further help. I was busy all day yesterday with paretn teacher interviews (yawn), so i couldnt even og on to this.

[Mr Rayon]

i use the nature of biology books book 2 third edition... btw, sorry if u had your sac today and got no further help. I was busy all day yesterday with paretn teacher interviews (yawn), so i couldnt even og on to this.

 

Oh no it's postponed. It will be tomorrow or Monday I think.

EDIT: So if you really want to help you still can!

[essence_of_cool]

i found this... kind oif silly, but summarises okay

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp50/5002s.swf

 

does anyone know where hormaones are made? I thought ribosomes for a.acid dericvatives and protein, peptide hormones, but seeing as steriod hormonesa are lipophilic, and are hence fats... I dont know where they would be produced. Is the ribosome right? And where are steroid hormones produced?

---

Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

http://lrn.org/Content/Quizzes/Qendocrine.html

 

and this...

[MM6]

Glucagon stimulates the release of insulin. Although they seem antagonistic, they work in concert to deliver glucose to cells.

 

Here are a couple of references supporting my previous statement.

 

http://www.springerlink.com/content/qwu02ux5rq45v280/

"Evidence that glucagon stimulates insulin secretion through its own receptor in rats "

 

http://www.newmanveterinary.com/Hormone_Diab.html

 

"Glucagon, in turn, stimulates insulin secretion. Putatively, the delicate balance between the antagonistic effects of the two hormones results in fine tuning the steady-state levels of blood glucose, and thus, prevents wide fluctuations"

 

http://www.medbio.info/Horn/Time%203-4/homeostasis_2.htm

 

"A protein-rich meal leads to release of both insulin and glucagon. The latter stimulates gluconeogenesis and release of the newly formed glucose from the liver to the blood stream. The very moderate rise in insulin associated with the protein meal stimulates uptake of the sugar formed in the liver by muscle and fat tissue."

 

Short answer: At times they are produced at the same time, although the window of time is small, as they are antagonistic. In a healthy person the feedback loop inhibits production of one or the other.