How do the hormones maintain the blood glucose levels constant?
A.
The minute-by-minute adjustments that keep the blood glucose level near 4.5 mM involve the combined actions of insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol on metabolic processes in many body tissues, but especially in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue.
B.
Insulin signals these tissues that blood glucose is higher than necessary; as a result, cells take up excess glucose from the blood and convert it to glycogen and triacylglycerols for storage.
C.
Glucagon signals that blood glucose is too low, and tissues respond by producing glucose through glycogen breakdown and (in the liver) gluconeogenesis and by oxidizing fats to reduce the need for glucose.
D.
Epinephrine is released into the blood to prepare the muscles, lungs, and heart for a burst of activity. Cortisol mediates the body’s response to longer-term stresses.