How does the body respond following a meal to ensure a relatively constant blood sugar level?

After a meal blood sugar levels will rise. In the Islets of Langerhans beta cells detect hyperglycaemia and secrete insulin, while alpha cells stop releasing glucagon.
The insulin moves in the blood stream to the liver where it binds to receptors on a hepatocyte. The binding of the insulin to a receptor causes a Glut-4 vesicle to move to and fuse with the cell surface membrane by exocytosis. This increases the permeability of glucose into the cell. Glucose is then removed inside the cell by either glycolysis to produce ATP or conversion to Glycogen in glycogenisis.

CJ
Answered by Cameron J. Biology tutor

3148 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

Explain the post-transcriptional changes that occur in mRNA before translation.


How do enzymes lower the activation energy of reactions?


Describe how the resting potential is maintained in a neurone, and what this resting potential value is.


How does antibiotic resistance develop in bacterial populations?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning