blood sugar

the concentration of glucose in the blood, which is regulated by the pancreatic hormones insulin and glucagon. Glucose is an important source of energy for the body, particularly the brain. The normal level of blood sugar for humans, measured 12 hours after the last meal, generally ranges between 70 and 110 mg glucose per deciliter of blood. Abnormally high or low levels (see hyperglycemia; hypoglycemia) may indicate any of several disease states.

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Psychology term of the day

January 19th 2025

short-wavelength pigment

the photopigment present in one of the three populations of retinal cones that has maximum sensitivity to a wavelength of 419 nm. The absence of the gene for the short-wavelength pigment causes tritanopia, a form of color blindness in which blue and green are confused with one another. See also long-wavelength pigment; medium-wavelength pigment.