AQA Biology 4.5.3.2

Blood glucose and diabetes

A meal pushes your blood glucose up and insulin brings it back. Break the loop two different ways and see what diabetes does.

Triple Science · Foundation tier

Start here

A big bowl of pasta.

You eat a big bowl of pasta and your blood glucose rises. Two hours later it is back where it started, though you have eaten nothing else.

If you had to guess, does your blood sugar just go up and down with food, or does your body pull it back to normal?

Control

After a meal.

Blood glucose concentration is monitored and controlled by the pancreas. If it is too high, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which causes glucose to move from the blood into the cells. In liver and muscle cells, excess glucose is converted to glycogen for storage. Step through a meal, then break the loop.

Blood glucose is at its normal level. Press Next step: eat a meal.

Data

Read the graph.

Each person drank the same glucose drink at 0 hours. Pick a line and read it.

Pick a line.

Two types of diabetes. Tap each.

Obesity is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Weighing up advice on diet and exercise involves social and ethical issues as well as science. Hormones in general: The endocrine system.

Think again · insulin is sugar?

“Insulin raises your blood sugar.”

Your call

Choose

What does insulin do to blood glucose concentration?

Sort

Type 1 or Type 2?

Place each one.

Tap a card, then tap the box it belongs in. Tap a placed card to take it back.

Command words in this lesson

Describe: What happens to blood glucose after a meal.
Use the graph: Read peaks and times, and compare people with and without diabetes.
Compare: Type 1 and Type 2: cause and treatment.

Key fact

Too much glucose: the pancreas releases insulin, glucose moves into cells, and liver and muscle cells store the excess as glycogen. Type 1: too little insulin. Type 2: cells don’t respond.

Key note · AQA 4.5.3.2

Blood glucose and diabetes

The pancreas monitors and controls blood glucose concentration.
Too high: the pancreas produces insulin, which causes glucose to move from the blood into the cells.
In liver and muscle cells excess glucose is converted to glycogen for storage.
Type 1: not enough insulin, injections. Type 2: cells don’t respond; diet and exercise; obesity a risk factor.

Photograph this card. Tomorrow, cover it and say each line first.

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Mixing up insulin, glycogen and glucagon?

Graph values are made up for teaching.