State the pancreatic source of glucagon
Add the Supplement hormone pairing without replacing pancreatic insulin.
Section 14.3 · Hormones
Exam scope and assessment notes
Extended only (Supplement) · Biology 0970, 2026–2028. Use the stated specimen features and evidence. Diagrams are schematic. Written practice is self-checked; human subject-teacher review, supervised practical competence and cumulative assessment remain pending. Cambridge states that IGCSE 0970 has the same subject content as IGCSE 0610, with 9–1 grading. This StudyForA pathway maps the 2026–2028 syllabus only. This 9–1 graded qualification is available only in a limited number of administrative zones. Confirm that your centre can enter you for this code and exam series with Cambridge International. Cambridge has published a separate syllabus for 2029. StudyForA has not reconciled that version yet; this page supports exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028 only.
Before you begin
- Recall electrical impulses, blood transport, gland secretion and the distinction between a stimulus and a body response.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which gland secretes glucagon?
What you will learn
- Recall the glucagon source
- Distinguish two hormones from one gland
State the pancreatic source of glucagon
Supplement: pancreas secretes glucagon as well as the Core hormone insulin. Full glucose feedback control is taught in the separate Homeostasis pathway. Original teaching model.
| Feature | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Glucagon | Pancreas → blood-borne hormone |
| Insulin | Retained Core pancreatic hormone |
| Adrenaline | Adrenal source, not the glucagon source |
| Next pathway | Homeostasis control remains separate |
Recall the glucagon source
Glucagon is secreted by the pancreas. This Supplement requirement adds a second pancreatic hormone to the Core pancreas–insulin pairing. The same gland can produce more than one hormone, so learning glucagon does not mean insulin is no longer pancreatic. Both are chemical signals released into blood rather than electrical impulses carried along neurones.
Glucagon and insulin have different names and different roles. As background for the next pathway, glucagon contributes to raising blood glucose, whereas insulin contributes to lowering it. The detailed liver control and negative-feedback explanation belong to Homeostasis and remain a separate sequence; this requirement specifically asks for the pancreatic source of glucagon.
Distinguish two hormones from one gland
Adrenaline is another hormone that can raise blood glucose in the taught fight-or-flight account, but it is secreted by adrenal glands rather than being the required pancreatic glucagon pairing. A shared direction of an effect does not prove a shared source or make two chemical names interchangeable. Start a source question by naming the gland.
If a diagram identifies the elongated upper-abdominal pancreas, give insulin for its required Core pairing and glucagon when the Supplement question asks for this additional hormone. Do not select a digestive enzyme from pancreatic juice. A blood-borne hormone and an enzyme delivered through a digestive duct are different categories of pancreatic output.
Pause and explain
Which pancreatic account retains both requirements?
Worked example
State the source of glucagon and retain the Core pancreatic pairing.
Show the worked solution
- Pancreas secretes glucagon.
- Pancreas also secretes insulin.
Answer Glucagon is secreted by the pancreas; the Core pancreatic pairing insulin remains correct.
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Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
State which gland secretes glucagon.
Give me a hint
Recall the additional pancreatic hormone.
Compare my reasoning
- Identify pancreas as the gland.
- Glucagon is a chemical hormone released into blood.
Glucagon is secreted by the pancreas.
Look for these in your work
- Name pancreas
- Keep hormone and gland distinct
Give the Core and added Supplement pancreatic hormone names.
Give me a hint
One source can produce two hormones.
Compare my reasoning
- Core pairing: insulin.
- Added Supplement pairing: glucagon.
Pancreas secretes insulin and glucagon.
Look for these in your work
- Retain insulin
- Add glucagon
A learner assigns both adrenaline and glucagon to adrenal glands because both can raise blood glucose. Correct the sources.
Give me a hint
Similar effects do not establish the same producer.
Compare my reasoning
- Adrenal glands secrete adrenaline.
- Pancreas secretes glucagon.
Adrenaline: adrenal glands. Glucagon: pancreas. A shared blood-glucose direction does not imply a shared gland source.
Look for these in your work
- Correct both sources
- Explain why effect similarity is insufficient
Common mistakes
- Assigning glucagon to adrenal glands.
- Replacing insulin with glucagon in every Core pairing answer.
What can you explain now?
Which pancreatic account retains both requirements?
Compare with the explanation
Pancreas secretes insulin and glucagon
The Supplement addition does not replace the Core hormone.
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Make it stick
Recall pancreas as the glucagon source and retain the insulin pairing.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.