Biochemistry Assignment: Glucose Regulation in the Absence of Glucose

This biochemistry assignment examines glucose regulation, focusing on the body's response when exogenous glucose is absent. It discusses the role of glucagon, secreted by the pancreas, in increasing blood sugar levels through gluconeogenesis, the conversion of glycogen into glucose. The assignment highlights the process by which glucagon is released, including the involvement of potassium and calcium channels. Additionally, it mentions the role of asprosin, a hormone secreted by white adipose tissue, in enhancing glucose secretion from the liver. The assignment references relevant research to support the information provided, providing a comprehensive overview of glucose regulation and its hormonal control.

Running head: Biochemistry 1
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Biochemistry 2
Glucose Regulation in the absence of Exogenous Glucose
Glucose is a significant source of energy for the cells and is obtained from endogenous or
exogenous sources. Endogenous sources of glucose include foods with carbohydrates, proteins
and fat. Glucose is very important in the body functions and therefore in the absence of
exogenous glucose, the body has mechanisms which ensure that it is produced from the body.
Lack of exogenous glucose implies very low blood sugar levels, and as a result, the pancreas
responds by releasing a hormone called glucagon which is responsible for increasing blood sugar
levels to the required levels. The hormone converts glycogen into glucose through a process
called gluconeogenesis which triggers blood sugar secretion from compounds such as pyruvate,
glycerol and glucogenic amino acids. Glucagon is secreted from the alpha cells of the islets of
Langerhans in the pancreas. The release of glucose to the body cells follows the SLC2A1
channel proteins. The secreted glucose is then utilized for ATP generation. A rise in the
production of ATP triggers the potassium channels to open which also causes calcium channels
to open and thus facilitating the binding of vesicles which contain glucagon. As a result,
glucagon is released into the bloodstream causing a rise in blood sugar (Röder, Wu, Liu, & Han,
2016). Another hormone responsible for the increase in blood sugar levels is asprosin. This
hormone is secreted by the white adipose tissue and works by enhancing the secretion of glucose
from the liver (Romere et al., 2016).

Biochemistry 3
References
Röder, P. V., Wu, B., Liu, Y., & Han, W. (2016). Pancreatic regulation of glucose
homeostasis. Experimental & molecular medicine, 48(3), e219.
Romere, C., Duerrschmid, C., Bournat, J., Constable, P., Jain, M., Xia, F., ... & Sarkar, P. (2016).
Asprosin, a fasting-induced glucogenic protein hormone. Cell, 165(3), 566-579.