LABORATORY REPORT

Activity 5: Blood Glucose Regulation

Name:
Instructor:
Date:
PREDICTIONS
1. Plasma glucose levels will be highest:
2. Plasma ketone levels will be highest:
3. Plasma insulin levels will be highest:
4. Plasma glucagon levels will be highest:
MATERIALS AND METHODS
1. Dependent Variable
2. Independent Variable
3. Controlled Variable
4. Why were physical activity and caffeine and alcohol intake the
controlled variables?
5. What type of assay was used to measure plasma glucose and
ketone levels?
6. What type of assay was used to measure plasma insulin and
glucagon levels?
RESULTS
See Table 2: Glucose and Ketone Concentration in Blood Plasma
See Graph: Glucose Concentration in Blood Plasma
See Graph: Ketone Concentration in Blood Plasma

Type

in the following AVERAGE plasma glucose values:

Fasting:
Immediately post meal:
1 hour post meal:
2 hour post meal:
3 hour post meal:
Glucose (mmol/I)
Sub 1

Sub 2

Sub 3

Average

Fasting
Immediatel
y Post
Meal
1 Hour
Post Meal
2 Hours
Post Meal
3 Hours
Post Meal
1. When was plasma glucose concentration highest? If values are
similar for several time points (within a few points of each other), then
give range of times when plasma glucose concentration was highest.
2. When was plasma glucose concentration lowest? If values are
similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
glucose concentration was lowest.
Type

in the following AVERAGE plasma ketone values:

Fasting:
Immediately post meal:
1 hour post meal:
2 hour post meal:
3 hour post meal:
Ketones (mol/I)
Sub 1

Fasting

Sub 2

Sub 3

Average

Immediatel
y Post
Meal
1 Hour
Post Meal
2 Hours
Post Meal
3 Hours
Post Meal
3. When was plasma ketone concentration highest? If values are
similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
ketone concentration was highest.
4. When was plasma ketone concentration lowest? If values are similar
for several time points, then give range of times when plasma ketone
concentration was lowest.
Type

in the following AVERAGE plasma insulin values:

Fasting:
Immediately post meal:
1 hour post meal:
2 hour post meal:
3 hour post meal:
Insulin (pmol/I)
Sub 1

Fasting
Immediatel
y Post
Meal
1 Hour
Post Meal
2 Hours
Post Meal
3 Hours
Post Meal

Sub 2

Sub 3

Average

1. When was plasma insulin concentration highest? If values are

similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
insulin concentration was highest.
2. When was plasma insulin concentration lowest? If values are
similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
insulin concentration was lowest.
Type

in the following AVERAGE plasma glucagon values:

Fasting:
Immediately post meal:
1 hour post meal:
2 hour post meal:
3 hour post meal:
Glucagon (pmol/I)
Sub 1

Sub 2

Sub 3

Average

Fasting
Immediatel
y Post
Meal
1 Hour
Post Meal
2 Hours
Post Meal
3 Hours
Post Meal
3. When was plasma glucagon concentration highest? If values are
similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
glucagon concentration was highest.
4. When was plasma glucagon concentration lowest? If values are
similar for several time points, then give range of times when plasma
glucagon concentration was lowest.
Type in the following AVERAGE value for the insulin/glucagon ratio:
Fasting:
Immediately post meal:

1 hour post meal:

2 hour post meal:
3 hour post meal:
Insulin/Glucagon
Sub 1

Sub 2

Sub 3

Average

Fasting
Immediatel
y Post
Meal
1 Hour
Post Meal
2 Hours
Post Meal
3 Hours
Post Meal
5. When was plasma insulin/glucagon concentration highest? If values
are similar for several time points, then give range of times when
plasma insulin/glucagon concentration was highest.
6. When was plasma insulin/glucagon concentration lowest? If values
are similar for several time points, then give range of times when
plasma insulin/glucagon concentration was lowest
DISCUSSION
1. Explain how insulin changed plasma glucose concentration over the
course of the experiment.
2. Explain how glucagon changed plasma glucose concentration over
the course of the experiment.
3. Explain what caused the change in plasma ketone concentration
over the course of the experiment.
4. Explain how negative feedback caused the changes in plasma
insulin concentration observed during the experiment.

5. Explain how negative feedback caused the changes in plasma

glucagon concentration observed during the experiment.
6. The insulin/glucagon ratio changed over the course of the
experiment indicating changes in glucose storage and changes in
ability to increase blood glucose concentration via glycogenolysis and
gluconeogenesis. State when glucose storage capability was highest
and why.
7. State when glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis were highest and
why.
8. Explain how a high blood ketone level helps the body conserve
blood glucose.
9. Restate your predictions that were correct and give the data from
your experiment that supports them. Restate your predictions that
were not correct and correct them, giving the data from your
experiment that supports the correction.
APPLICATION
1. During exercise, epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from
the adrenal medulla. Epinephrine and norepinephrine have the same
effect on plasma glucose levels as glucagon. Explain how epinephrine
and norepinephrine affect plasma glucose and why this is important
during exercise.
2. The symptoms of diabetes mellitus include high plasma glucose
levels and ketoacidosis (blood pH decreases due to increasing levels of
ketones). Explain how diabetes causes these symptoms.