Blood Glucose Regulation and Feedback Pathways

Vocabulary flashcards covering the components and pathways involved in regulating blood glucose via negative feedback.

Set point for blood glucose

The target baseline level for blood glucose, which is about $90\,\text{milligrams per deciliter}$.

Chemo receptors

Sensors located in the pancreas that monitor and measure blood glucose levels.

Pancreas

The organ acting as the control center in blood glucose regulation that compares receptor information with the set point, determines a response, and secretes insulin as an endocrine gland.

Insulin

A hormone secreted by the pancreas that travels through the blood as a signal or instruction to effector cells to remove glucose from the blood.

Efferent pathway

The pathway whereby information is sent from the control center to the effector, formed in this system by insulin moving through the blood.

Afferent pathway

The pathway carrying information from the receptor to the control center (referred to as the acrome or AFRIN pathway).

Effector cells

Tissues or cells that receive insulin as a instruction to take up glucose from the blood, causing blood glucose levels to decrease.