Unit Converter
Glucagon
Units of measurement
ng/L, ng/dL, ng/100mL, ng%, pg/mL
GLUCAGON
(Pancreatic α-Cell Hormone – Key Regulator of Glucose Homeostasis & Counter-Regulatory Response)
Synonyms
- Glucagon
- Pancreatic α-cell hormone
- Hyperglycemic hormone
- Counter-regulatory hormone
- Immunoreactive glucagon (IRG)
Units of Measurement
- ng/L
- ng/dL
- ng/100 mL
- ng%
- pg/mL
Key Conversions
(Molecular weight ≈ 3485 Da)
1 pg/mL = 1 ng/L
1 ng/dL = 10 pg/mL = 10 ng/L
ng/100 mL = ng% = ng/dL
1 ng/L = 1 pg/mL
(Glucagon is measured in mass units, not activity units.)
Description
Glucagon is a 29-amino-acid peptide hormone produced by pancreatic alpha cells.
It is the primary counter-regulatory hormone to insulin, maintaining glucose during fasting by:
- Stimulating hepatic glycogenolysis
- Increasing gluconeogenesis
- Promoting ketogenesis
- Increasing lipolysis
Glucagon secretion rises during:
- Hypoglycemia
- Exercise
- Stress
- Amino-acid ingestion
- Sympathetic activation
Physiological Role
1. Glucose Regulation
Glucagon increases plasma glucose by:
- Breaking glycogen → glucose
- Stimulating hepatic glucose output
- Opposing insulin action
2. Ketone Production
Stimulates ketogenesis during fasting/starvation.
3. Protein Metabolism
Amino-acid ingestion strongly stimulates glucagon.
4. Stress Response
Increases during acute illness, trauma, and exercise.
Clinical Significance
High Glucagon (Hyperglucagonemia)
1. Glucagonoma
Rare α-cell neuroendocrine tumor → excessively high glucagon.
Classic symptoms:
- Necrolytic migratory erythema
- Diabetes / hyperglycemia
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Diarrhea
Very high glucagon (>500–1000 pg/mL) strongly suggests glucagonoma.
2. Diabetes Mellitus
- Inappropriately elevated fasting & postprandial glucagon
- Contributes to hyperglycemia
3. Acute Illness / Stress
- Sepsis
- Burns
- Trauma
- Surgery
4. Chronic Kidney Disease
Reduced clearance → elevated glucagon.
5. Cirrhosis & Liver Disease
Impaired metabolism → higher glucagon.
Low Glucagon
Seen in:
- Hypothalamic/pancreatic failure
- Advanced pancreatitis
- Post-total pancreatectomy
- Genetic α-cell dysfunction
- Severe hypoglycemia from insulinoma
- Exogenous insulin overdose (impaired glucagon response)
Low glucagon can worsen severe hypoglycemia.
Reference Intervals
(Tietz 8E + Mayo + ARUP)
Values depend on fasting state and assay type.
Fasting Glucagon
- 50 – 150 pg/mL
(= 50 – 150 ng/L)
Postprandial
- Mild rise to 150–200 pg/mL
Glucagonoma
- >500 pg/mL
- Often >1000 pg/mL
Units Description & Conversion Factors
pg/mL ↔ ng/L
1 pg/mL=1 ng/L1\ \text{pg/mL} = 1\ \text{ng/L}1 pg/mL=1 ng/L
ng/dL
1 ng/dL=10 pg/mL1\ \text{ng/dL} = 10\ \text{pg/mL}1 ng/dL=10 pg/mL
ng% = ng/100 mL = ng/dL
Diagnostic Uses
1. Diagnosis of Glucagonoma
- Markedly elevated glucagon
- Imaging: CT/MRI/Octreoscan
- Clinical symptoms
2. Hypoglycemia Evaluation
Low glucagon response suggests:
- Insulinoma
- Pancreatic failure
- Insulin overdose
3. Diabetes Pathophysiology
Abnormal glucagon secretion contributes to:
- Fasting hyperglycemia
- Post-meal hyperglycemia
4. Assessment in Acute Illness
Stress-induced hyperglucagonemia correlates with severity.
5. Research Use
- Studies of insulin–glucagon axis
- Ketogenic diet monitoring
- Metabolic disease research
Analytical Notes
- Fasting sample required (8–10 hours)
- Place sample on ice immediately
- Use EDTA tube + aprotinin (to prevent degradation)
- Plasma preferred over serum
- Highly assay-dependent (interpret with lab reference range)
- Hemolysis and delayed processing falsely decrease glucagon
Clinical Pearls
- Glucagon is the first line of defense against hypoglycemia.
- In diabetes, glucagon is inappropriately high even after meals.
- Glucagonoma is rare but presents with a characteristic rash (NME).
- CKD elevates glucagon due to reduced clearance.
- During severe hypoglycemia, glucagon release may be impaired in long-standing diabetes.
Interesting Fact
The first glucagon radioimmunoassay in the 1950s revolutionized understanding of glucose homeostasis and paved the way for modern diabetes physiology research.
SEO Unit Converter Text
Glucagon converter — convert between pg/mL, ng/L, ng/dL, and ng%. Includes diagnostic thresholds for glucagonoma, fasting interpretation, and hypoglycemia evaluation.
References
- Tietz Clinical Chemistry & Molecular Diagnostics, 8th Edition — Hormones.
- Endocrine Society Guidelines — Hypoglycemia & Neuroendocrine Tumors.
- ADA Standards — Diabetes Physiology.
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories — Glucagon.
- ARUP Consult — Glucagonoma Evaluation.
- MedlinePlus / NIH — Glucagon Test.