British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Glucagon definition

Definition: The body has a mechanism for ensuring that the amount of sugar in the blood is maintained at healthy levels. This is done via the endocrine system - if the blood sugar levels fall, it will trigger a response in the pancreas, and it will release a hormone called glucagon into the bloodstream. The liver stores glucose as glycogen. When glucagon reaches the liver, the enzymes will be released, breaking down glycogen into glucose. Glucose will then flow back into the bloodstream and raise the amount of sugar, thereby restoring balance.