What do the terms glucagon and insulin indicate about their respective functions?

The terms glucagon and insulin highlight their pivotal roles in regulating blood sugar levels within the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells for energy production and stimulating the liver to store glucose as glycogen. Conversely, glucagon also produced by the pancreas, raises blood glucose levels by signaling the liver to convert stored glycogen back to glucose and release it into the bloodstream.

This complementary action ensures that blood sugar remains within a healthy range, preventing conditions like hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Hence, one hormone works to decrease blood sugar levels while the other works to increase them, illustrating their essential functions in glucose metabolism.