Explain how the human body responds to a rise in blood glucose concentration after a meal.

Eduqas GCSE Biology — 2.5.3 Homeostasis · Explain · 4 marks · View as Markdown

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

Model answer (4 marks)

The pancreas senses the increased glucose level in the blood.
The pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream.
Insulin signals the liver and muscle cells to take up glucose and store it as glycogen.
Glucose concentration falls back to the normal set point, restoring homeostasis.

Examiner tips

Use the exact terms ‘pancreas’, ‘insulin’, ‘liver’, ‘muscle cells’, ‘glycogen’, and ‘homeostasis’.
Show the causal chain: detection → secretion → action → restoration.
Keep the answer short – one sentence per point – to fit the 4 marks.
Avoid extra detail such as ‘beta cells’ unless asked.

Common mistakes

Writing ‘glucose is removed from the blood’ instead of ‘insulin causes uptake and storage’.
Omitting the pancreas or insulin from the answer.
Using vague phrases like ‘the body reacts’ without specifying the organs or hormone.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

The pancreas detects the rise in blood glucose concentration
The pancreas releases / secretes insulin
Insulin causes the liver (and muscle cells) to convert glucose to glycogen
Blood glucose concentration returns to / is restored to its normal / set level, maintaining homeostasis

Key terms in this question

blood glucose concentration