Hormonal Control of Metabolic Fuel Between your evening meal...

Name: Problem 15, Chapter 15: Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry
Uploaded: 2020-12-24T06:30:01-08:00
Duration: 2 min 31 s
Channel: Ronald Prasad
Description: Hormonal Control of Metabolic Fuel Between your evening meal and breakfast, your blood glucose drops and your liver becomes a net producer rather than consumer of glucose. Describe the hormonal basis for this switch, and explain how the hormonal change triggers glucose production by the liver.

Hormonal Control of Metabolic Fuel Between your evening meal and breakfast, your blood glucose drops and your liver becomes a net producer rather than consumer of glucose. Describe the hormonal basis for this switch, and explain how the hormonal change triggers glucose production by the liver.

Key Concepts

Glucose Homeostasis

Glucose homeostasis is the regulatory process that maintains blood glucose levels within a narrow range despite fluctuations caused by feeding and fasting. It involves a complex interplay of hormones and metabolic pathways that adjust glucose uptake, storage, and production to balance energy supply and demand.

Glucagon

Glucagon is a hormone produced by the pancreatic alpha cells that plays a key role in managing energy supply during fasting. When blood glucose levels fall, glucagon secretion increases, signaling the liver to produce and release glucose. This shift is crucial for maintaining adequate energy levels when dietary glucose is unavailable.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone released by pancreatic beta cells primarily after meals to promote the uptake and storage of glucose in tissues. A decrease in insulin levels during periods of fasting diminishes its inhibitory effect on hepatic glucose production, thereby allowing the liver to switch from storing glucose to producing it.

Gluconeogenesis

Gluconeogenesis is the metabolic pathway by which the liver synthesizes glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors such as lactate, glycerol, and amino acids. This process is upregulated by glucagon during fasting to ensure a continuous supply of glucose, especially for tissues that depend on it for energy.

Glycogenolysis

Glycogenolysis is the process of breaking down glycogen stored in the liver into glucose. In response to rising glucagon levels and declining insulin during fasting, this pathway is activated to rapidly increase blood glucose levels, providing a short-term solution until gluconeogenesis can fully take over.

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