Which organ in the body monitors blood glucose concentration?
The homeostatic mechanism which keeps the blood value of glucose in a remarkably narrow range is composed of several interacting systems, of which hormone regulation is the most important. There are two types of mutually antagonistic metabolic hormones affecting blood glucose levels: (1) Catabolic hormones, such as glucagon (produced in the pancreas), growth hormone (synthesized in the anterior pituitary, catecholamines (derived in the adrenal glands), thyroxine (made in the thyroid gland), and somatostatin (generated in the hypothalamus), which increase blood glucose; and (2) one anabolic hormone (insulin), which decreases blood glucose, and is manufactured in the pancreas. Aside from the organs which manufacture glucose-regulating hormones (pancreas, anterior pituitary, adrenals, thyroid, hypothalamus), the most important organ in the regulation of blood glucose concentration is the liver. Hepatic functions related to glucose metabolism and homeostasis include: (1) Glycogenesis – the
