Which pancreatic hormone raises blood glucose levels?

• A. Glucagon
• B. Insulin
• C. Amylin
• D. Somatostatin

Answer: (A)

Glucagon raises blood glucose. It’s released by pancreatic alpha cells when blood glucose is low, and it acts on the liver to stimulate two processes: glycogenolysis, where stored glycogen is broken down into glucose, and gluconeogenesis, making new glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. This increases the amount of glucose released into the bloodstream to restore normal levels. Other pancreatic hormones do not raise glucose: insulin promotes glucose uptake into cells and storage as glycogen, amylin helps regulate glucose by slowing gastric emptying and suppressing glucagon, and somatostatin inhibits the release of both insulin and glucagon and slows digestion.