A person eats a meal containing a large amount of sugar. Their blood glucose concentration rises. Explain how hormonal coordination returns the blood glucose concentration to normal after this meal.

Pearson Edexcel A-Level Biology A (9BI0) — 4.5 Hormonal coordination · Explain · 5 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

After eating a sugary meal, the blood glucose concentration in the body rises above the normal level. The body uses hormonal coordination to detect this change and respond to it.

Model answer (5 marks)

The pancreas senses the increased blood glucose and secretes insulin.
Insulin stimulates the liver and muscle cells to take up glucose and store it as glycogen.
This uptake lowers the blood glucose concentration back to normal.
When glucose falls to normal, insulin secretion stops – a negative‑feedback loop.

Examiner tips

  • Use the exact terms: pancreas, insulin, glycogen, negative feedback. Show the sequence: detection → secretion → action → fall in glucose → stop. Keep each point brief but complete.

Common mistakes

  • Using the wrong hormone (glucagon) or omitting insulin. Failing to mention the negative‑feedback aspect. Giving extra, irrelevant detail such as insulin acting on fat cells.

Mark scheme (5 marks)

  1. The pancreas detects the rise in blood glucose concentration
  2. The pancreas releases/secretes the hormone insulin
  3. Insulin causes the liver (and muscle cells) to convert glucose into glycogen for storage
  4. This causes blood glucose concentration to fall / return to the normal level
  5. This is an example of negative feedback — when blood glucose returns to normal, insulin secretion stops / the response is switched off

Key terms in this question

hormonal coordination

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