What happens to blood glucose levels when glucagon is released?

When glucagon is released, it has a physiological effect that causes blood glucose levels to increase. Glucagon is a hormone produced by the alpha cells of the pancreas, and its primary role in the body is to elevate glucose levels in the bloodstream when they drop too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia.

The mechanism involves glucagon promoting the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose, a process called glycogenolysis. Additionally, glucagon stimulates gluconeogenesis, which is the production of new glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. As a result of these actions, the overall effect of glucagon is to increase the concentration of glucose available in the blood, thereby ensuring that the body's cells receive adequate energy for functioning, particularly during times of fasting or low blood sugar.

Understanding the role of glucagon is crucial, especially in the management of diabetes and monitoring blood glucose levels. The other options relate to scenarios where glucose levels would either decrease, stabilize, or remain unchanged, none of which apply when glucagon is actively working in the body to elevate glucose levels.