Biology · Homeostasis and response. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.
The endocrine system is a set of glands that secrete hormones straight into the blood. The blood carries each hormone to its target organ, where it has an effect. Compared with nerves, hormones act more slowly but their effects last longer.
The pancreas monitors and controls the blood glucose concentration with two hormones. Insulin lowers it and glucagon raises it. Each change switches on the hormone that reverses it, so this is a negative feedback cycle.
In diabetes this control fails. In type 1 the pancreas does not make enough insulin. In type 2 the body cells no longer respond to the insulin that is made.
Confusing glucagon with glycogen. Glucagon is the hormone from the pancreas; glycogen is the stored carbohydrate in liver and muscle cells. Never write that insulin turns into glycogen.
Answer: Type 2 diabetes, because insulin is being made but the cells no longer respond to it.
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