Which hormone converts Glucose into Glycogen?

Appeared in: UP CHO - 2018

Explanation

Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta-cells of the pancreas in response to high blood glucose levels.
It facilitates the uptake of glucose from the blood into body cells, particularly liver, muscle, and adipose tissues.
Insulin stimulates the process of glycogenesis, which is the conversion of excess glucose into glycogen for storage in the liver and muscles.
This action effectively lowers blood glucose concentration, maintaining it within a normal range.

Option A: Glycogen is not a hormone; it is the stored form of glucose in the liver and muscles. It is the product of the conversion, not the agent causing it.
Option C: Heparin is an anticoagulant, a substance that prevents blood clotting. It has no physiological role in glucose metabolism.
Option D: Thyroxin (T4) is a thyroid hormone that primarily regulates the body's overall metabolic rate. While it can influence blood sugar, it does not directly convert glucose to glycogen; in fact, it tends to raise blood glucose by stimulating glycogenolysis.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Hormonal Regulation of Blood Glucose helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding insulin's function is fundamental for managing diabetes mellitus, a condition characterized by impaired insulin production or action.
Nurses administer insulin, educate patients on its use, and must monitor for its primary adverse effect (hypoglycemia) and the consequences of its absence (hyperglycemia).
What if? If a patient has Type 1 diabetes, their pancreas does not produce insulin. The answer to 'how is glucose converted to glycogen?' becomes 'through externally administered insulin'. Without it, this conversion does not happen, leading to dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'hormone', 'converts', 'Glucose', and 'Glycogen'.
The question asks for the specific hormone that facilitates the storage of glucose (a simple sugar) as glycogen (a complex carbohydrate).
Systematically review the options provided and recall their primary physiological function.
Eliminate options with unrelated functions: Heparin is an anticoagulant, and Glycogen is a storage molecule, not a hormone.
Differentiate between the remaining hormones: Thyroxin regulates metabolism broadly, while Insulin's specific role is to lower blood glucose by promoting its storage.
Select Insulin as it directly matches the process of converting glucose to glycogen (glycogenesis).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Biochemistry U Satyanarayana— Part 2 (pp 421-820 of 840) p. 305-307

E6 Physiology Essentials Sembulingam 10e Part 2 pp. 62-64, 63-65

Practise the full UP CHO - 2018

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.