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This lesson covers one of the most important homeostatic mechanisms: the regulation of blood glucose concentration. You will learn how insulin and glucagon work together through negative feedback to keep blood glucose within safe limits, and how this system fails in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. This is a critical topic for Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) Topic 7.
Blood glucose is the concentration of glucose dissolved in the blood. Glucose is essential because it is the substrate for cellular respiration — the process that releases energy for all cell functions.
| If Blood Glucose Is Too High | If Blood Glucose Is Too Low |
|---|---|
| Glucose can damage blood vessels and organs (kidneys, eyes, nerves) | Cells do not have enough glucose for respiration |
| Water moves out of cells by osmosis, causing dehydration | Brain cells are particularly affected (they rely almost entirely on glucose) |
| Long-term: cardiovascular disease, nerve damage | Symptoms: dizziness, confusion, loss of consciousness |
| In severe cases: coma and death |
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