Trace the path of glucose from the small intestine to the blood. What are the two modes of transport used?

Question

Trace the path of glucose from the small intestine to the blood. What are the two modes of transport used? What hormone, made by the pancreas, is secreted into blood to stimulate the transport of glucose from the blood to the tissue cells? Explain what change occurs in the tissue cells that allow them to take in glucose.

Answer 1

Trace the path of glucose from the small intestine to the blood.

Nutrient-rich blood from the small intestine is delivered first to the liver where the majority of carbohydrate is converted to glucose

What are the two modes of transport used?

1. Secondary active transport
2. Facilitated diffusion

What hormone, made by the pancreas, is secreted into blood to stimulate the transport of glucose from the blood to the tissue cells?

Insulin is a hormone made by the beta cells of the pancreas and secreted in response to risen blood sugar levels

Explain what change occurs in the tissue cells that allow them to take in glucose.

Insulin acts as a key to open the cells to accept glucose from the blood by binding to the receptors on the cell's surface. This signals GLUT4 transporters to travel to the surface of the cell and carry the glucose inside to the cell's cytoplasm via vesicular transport.