Which hormone is produced in the pancreas and promotes converting glycogen to glucose?

The hormone produced in the pancreas that promotes the conversion of glycogen to glucose is glucagon. When blood sugar levels are low, glucagon is released from the alpha cells of the pancreas into the bloodstream. Its primary role is to stimulate the liver to break down glycogen, a stored form of glucose, into glucose molecules. This process is called glycogenolysis. As a result, glucose is released into the bloodstream, helping to increase blood sugar levels back to a normal range.

Insulin, produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, has the opposite effect: it facilitates the uptake of glucose by cells and promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen when blood sugar levels are high. Cortisol is a steroid hormone released by the adrenal glands that also plays a role in glucose metabolism, but it is not primarily responsible for converting glycogen to glucose. Adrenaline, or epinephrine, also influences blood sugar levels but mainly through the stimulation of glycogenolysis in response to stress rather than being produced directly to manage normal blood glucose levels. Thus, glucagon is specifically and directly associated with activating the process of converting glycogen to glucose when energy is needed.