Milestones in Biology 7 Test Your Knowledge
What organ produces insulin?
a. the liver
b. the stomach
c. the pancreas
d. blood
e. skeletal muscle
c
Someone who cannot produce insulin will likely have blood sugar levels that are
a. normal.
b. lower than normal.
c. higher than normal.
c
In general terms, what is a hormone?
a. A signaling molecule that is transported by the circulatory system and acts on target cells.
b. A signaling molecule that regulates blood sugar.
c. A signaling molecule that is produced by the pancreas.
d. A signaling molecule that increases the concentration of blood sugar.
e. A protein that is released by one cell and acts on an adjacent cell.
a
A person has chronically elevated blood-sugar levels. From this information, are you able to say if the person has type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes? Why or why not?
It is not possible to distinguish between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes on the basis of blood-sugar levels: both types lead to elevated levels of blood sugar. In order to distinguish between them, one would need to monitor insulin levels. In type 1 diabetes insulin levels would be essentially at zero. In type 2 diabetes they would be low between meals and high after meals, providing a critical clue that blood glucose is remaining high after meals, even in the presence of high insulin level.
Insulin is a/an
a. monosaccharide.
b. protein.
c. triglyceride (fat).
d. phospholipid.
e. any of the above, depending on the diet
b
List key differences in glucose levels and insulin levels between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Consider levels during periods of fasting and levels after a carbohydrate-rich meal.
In both types there are elevated levels of blood glucose, both immediately after a carbohydrate-rich meal and also for extended periods after the meal. In type 1 diabetes, no insulin is produced, so insulin will remain low or at zero at all times. In type 2 diabetes, the body can make and release insulin normally, so (at least in early stages of the disease) insulin will be low between meals, then rise after a carbohydrate-rich meal. In type 2 diabetes, the blood-glucose will not come down in response to insulin.