stupid question of the day

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

bev

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent
Hi all,
I understand the concept of the pancreas not producing insulin. But, does this mean that the pancreas also stops producing glucogon?😱Bev
 
First of all Bev it is not a supid question. There are 3 types of endocrine cells in the pancreas, alpha - which secrete glucagon, beta which secrete insulin and delta cells that secrete somatasotin ?? To my knowledge (Tom correct me if I am wrong :D) it is only the beta cells that are destroyed in T1 Diabetes so in answer to your question glucagon should still be produced normally.
 
I don't think so. Glucogon is released by the pancreas to make the liver produce glucose. So presumably you would not get the dawn phenomena if you weren't producing glucogon. (laymans attempt to explain when he doesn't really know, just seems logical to me😛).
 
Also correct me if i am wrong but i thought that the liver was the organ that also secreted glucogon....but my biology aint great and i get totally lost with the islets of langerhans and all that jazz

Bernie xx 🙂
 
Thanks Carol 🙂 It's something I asked ages ago too - is there any disease that only affects the alpha cells? - but I never got an answer. It must be a problem for people who have had their pancreas removed, like Adrienne's daughter and Twinnie?
 
yay I've learnt something today! Thanks guys this place is great, great question Bev, is there anything particular that made you think about it Bev, is Alex having better morning numbers?? I do hope so, not that I thought he was having bad numbers.
 
cazscot said:
First of all Bev it is not a supid question. There are 3 types of endocrine cells in the pancreas, alpha - which secrete glucagon, beta which secrete insulin and delta cells that secrete somatasotin ?? To my knowledge (Tom correct me if I am wrong :D) it is only the beta cells that are destroyed in T1 Diabetes so in answer to your question glucagon should still be produced normally.
Click to expand...

This is what confuses me - why do type 1's have hypo's if the pancreas still produces glucagon? Sorry for being thick!😱Bev
 
Vicsetter said:
I don't think so. Glucogon is released by the pancreas to make the liver produce glucose. So presumably you would not get the dawn phenomena if you weren't producing glucogon. (laymans attempt to explain when he doesn't really know, just seems logical to me😛).
Click to expand...

Ohh its glucose the liver secretes....please ignore my waffle...
Bernie xx 🙂
 
getcarter76 said:
Also correct me if i am wrong but i thought that the liver was the organ that also secreted glucogon....but my biology aint great and i get totally lost with the islets of langerhans and all that jazz

Bernie xx 🙂
Click to expand...

You're thinking of glycogen Bernie, which is stored in the liver and muscles.
 
Only if it's got maple syrup on it - mmmmmm (virtual pancake kitchen)😛
 
bev said:
This is what confuses me - why do type 1's have hypo's if the pancreas still produces glucagon? Sorry for being thick!😱Bev
Click to expand...

Normally, the glucagon would 'switch off' the production of insulin when the BG dropped too low, but if you injected the insulin it can't so you have too much insulin and hypo.
 
Northerner said:
Thanks Carol 🙂 It's something I asked ages ago too - is there any disease that only affects the alpha cells? - but I never got an answer. It must be a problem for people who have had their pancreas removed, like Adrienne's daughter and Twinnie?
Click to expand...

Ah very good question Northerner I have no idea. I can tell you how the beta cells are destroyed as that is what I did my presentation on in uni but no idea about diseases that destroy alpha cells... My understanding is that glucagon is not as essential for life as insulin is.
 
Northerner said:
Normally, the glucagon would 'switch off' the production of insulin when the BG dropped too low, but if you injected the insulin it can't so you have too much insulin and hypo.
Click to expand...

But the body has receptor cells that tell you if your too low or too high - and normally in a non-diabetic the glucagon and the insulin are 2 seperate hormones and they dont control how each other works because its the brain that determines whether either hormone is released or not surely?

So, if they work as seperate entities - why then does the pancreas not react and send out the glucagon to sort out the hypo? Glucagon doesnt 'swith off' insulin as they dont work together as far as i can tell.:confused:Bev
 
cazscot said:
Ah very good question Northerner I have no idea. I can tell you how the beta cells are destroyed as that is what I did my presentation on in uni but no idea about diseases that destroy alpha cells... My understanding is that glucagon is not as essential for life as insulin is.
Click to expand...

Hi Carol, I am even more confused now! Surely glucagon is as essential as insulin for non-diabetics or they would suffer hypo's aswell? Sorry if I am misunderstanding something obvious!🙂Bev
 
This is my understanding - feel free to correct anyone

Its a bit like running a bath, the hot water being the glucagon and the cold the insulin. You try and get the temperature right by turning on and off the water. In the same way your brain tells the pancreas to secrete the glucagon or insulin and stops the secretion and switches to the other when the levels get too high or too low.

Back to the bath - you turn off the cold but it continues to run, your attempt to increase the bath temperature does not work as well as you would like, and depending on the rate of the cold water it can overwhelm the hot water. Similarly in a diabetic who injects insulin the brain thinks it knows how much glucagon it needs to secrete but thinks it has stopped the insulin - but it hasn't.

There can also be a further complication in that if the balance has been upset for a while the glucagon will not have the desired effect as the glycogen stores could be depleted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top