C2.1 Chemical Signalling (HL) Flashcards

1
Q

What is chemical signalling?

A

A process by which cells, tissues, and organisms communicate using signalling molecules.

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2
Q

What are the two types of cell-to-cell interactions in chemical signalling?

A
  • Direct interactions
  • Indirect interactions
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3
Q

What are ligands?

A

Signalling molecules that include hormones, neurotransmitters, cytokines, and growth factors.

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4
Q

What role do receptors play in chemical signalling?

A

Receptors exhibit specificity to ligands due to the structure of their binding sites.

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5
Q

What are the main functions of chemical signalling in humans?

A
  • Maintaining homeostasis
  • Development
  • Immune response
  • Neural function
  • Metabolic regulation
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6
Q

What initiates the cascade of biochemical reactions in signal transduction?

A

Conformational change in the receptor caused by ligand binding.

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7
Q

What are some specific cellular responses that can result from activated signalling pathways?

A
  • Changes in gene expression
  • Activation or inhibition of enzymes
  • Alteration of ion channel activity
  • Modulation of cellular metabolism
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8
Q

What is quorum sensing in bacteria?

A

A process where bacteria communicate to coordinate group behaviour in response to cell density.

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9
Q

What are autoinducers?

A

Small signalling molecules released by bacteria that diffuse and accumulate in their environment.

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10
Q

What types of autoinducers do Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria use?

A
  • Gram-positive: processed oligopeptides
  • Gram-negative: acylated homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs)
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11
Q

How does Vibrio fischeri utilize quorum sensing?

A

Releases N-acyl homoserine lactone to bind to regulators and induce the lux operon.

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12
Q

What is the function of the lux operon in Vibrio fischeri?

A

Regulates luminescence by encoding regulatory and luminescent proteins.

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13
Q

What chemical reaction produces light in bioluminescence?

A

The oxidation of luciferin by luciferase.

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14
Q

What hormone is produced by the pancreas in response to high blood glucose levels?

A

Insulin

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15
Q

What hormone is produced by the pancreas in response to low blood glucose levels?

A

Glucagon

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16
Q

What are hormones?

A

Chemicals secreted by endocrine glands into the extracellular fluid that act on target organs/tissues

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17
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemical substances that carry signals from one neuron to another or from a neuron to a target cell

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18
Q

What are cytokines?

A

Small proteins important in cell signalling related to immune response

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19
Q

Which cells primarily secrete cytokines?

A

White blood cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes

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20
Q

What are the three main types of hormones?

A

Amines, peptide hormones, and steroids

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21
Q

What are amine hormones derived from?

A

Amino acids, specifically tyrosine and tryptophan

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22
Q

Give an example of an amine hormone.

A

Epinephrine (adrenaline)

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23
Q

What are peptide hormones?

A

Hormones in the form of polypeptide chains or small proteins

ex: insulin

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24
Q

What are steroid hormones derived from?

A

Cholesterol

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25
Q

What are the two ways hormones can act?

A

Activate second messengers or activate genes

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26
Q

Give an example of an amino acid neurotransmitter.

A

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)

27
Q

What can calcium ions trigger in cellular processes?

A

Muscle contraction, nerve impulses, and fertilisation

28
Q

What are the four types of signalling based on distance?

A
  • Autocrine signalling
  • Paracrine signalling
  • Endocrine signalling
  • Juxtacrine signalling
29
Q

What is autocrine signalling?

A

Signalling where cells secrete molecules that act on themselves

30
Q

What is paracrine signalling?

A

Signalling where molecules travel a short distance to nearby target cells

31
Q

What is endocrine signalling?

A

Signalling where hormones travel long distances via the bloodstream to target cells

32
Q

What is juxtacrine signalling?

A

Signalling that occurs when two cells are in physical contact

33
Q

What are cell-surface receptors?

A

Receptors present on the cell membrane that transmit signals from outside to inside the cell

34
Q

What are intracellular receptors?

A

Receptors located inside the cell that bind to lipid-derived signalling molecules

35
Q

What are Type I intracellular receptors?

A

Cytoplasmic receptors that translocate to the nucleus upon ligand binding

36
Q

What are Type II intracellular receptors?

A

Nuclear receptors directly involved in gene transcription

37
Q

Name the three categories of cell-surface receptors.

A
  • Enzyme-linked receptors
  • G-protein-linked receptors
  • Ion channel-linked receptors
38
Q

What does signal amplification refer to in the context of signal transduction?

A

A process where a small signal triggers a larger response through activation of downstream messengers/effectors

Hormones or neurotransmitters can activate protein kinases, amplifying the signal.

39
Q

What is a common second messenger in signal transduction?

A

Cyclic AMP (cAMP)

cAMP plays a crucial role in relaying signals inside cells.

40
Q

What is the function of protein kinases in signal transduction?

A

To phosphorylate proteins by adding a phosphate group

Protein kinases remain inactive until activated by second messengers like cAMP.

41
Q

How is the signal terminated in signal transduction?

A

By degradation, diffusion, reuptake, inactivation of receptors, or feedback inhibition

For example, acetylcholinesterase degrades acetylcholine to terminate its action.

42
Q

What are the three types of neurotransmitters based on their effects?

A
  • Excitatory neurotransmitters
  • Inhibitory neurotransmitters
  • Modulatory neurotransmitters

Examples of excitatory neurotransmitters include glutamate; inhibitory neurotransmitters include GABA.

43
Q

What is the role of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction?

A

Regulates muscle contractions and other functions like heartbeat and blood pressure

Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter associated with motor neurons.

44
Q

What are G proteins and their function in signal transduction?

A

Molecular switches that undergo conformational changes when GPCRs bind to ligands

They facilitate GDP/GTP exchange within the cell.

45
Q

How many subunits do G proteins consist of?

A

Three subunits: ɑ, β, and γ

Inactive G proteins have the ɑ subunit bound to GDP.

46
Q

What is the structure of a typical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)?

A

Has seven transmembrane ɑ helices

GPCRs are the largest class of membrane receptors found in eukaryotes.

47
Q

What is epinephrine also known as?

A

Adrenaline

48
Q

What are the two major outcomes of protein kinase A activation by epinephrine?

A
  • Inhibition of glycogen synthesis
  • Initiation of glycogen breakdown
49
Q

What does cAMP stand for?

A

Cyclic AMP

50
Q

What is the function of adenylate cyclase in the presence of epinephrine?

A

Converts ATP to cAMP

51
Q

What happens to GDP when epinephrine binds to its receptor?

A

GDP is replaced by GTP

52
Q

What are tyrosine kinase receptors involved in?

A

Cell growth, differentiation, and proliferation

53
Q

What process does tyrosine kinase undergo upon insulin binding?

A

Autophosphorylation

54
Q

What are the two critical components of feedback mechanisms in regulating signalling pathways?

A
  • Positive feedback
  • Negative feedback
55
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

The maintenance of a stable internal environment in living organisms

56
Q

What is the effect of positive feedback mechanisms in cell signalling?

A

They result in amplification of cell signals

ex: blood clotting

57
Q

What is the role of negative feedback in cell signalling pathways?

A

It inhibits upstream activation, dampening the amplification of signals

ex: insulin & glucagon

58
Q

Signal tranduction cascade

A
  1. receotor activation = ligand binds
  2. signal amplification = stimuli triggers response
  3. second messenger production = relay signal in cell
  4. activation of protein kinases = phosphorylate proteins
  5. change in gene expression
  6. temrination of signal (degradation, diffusion, response, inactivation, feedback inhibition)
59
Q

Mechanism of Insulin

A
  • consist of dimer (compund of 2 molecules) = alpha & beta with disulfide bridges
    1. tyrosine kinase in beta activated by insulin
    2. tyrosine kinase phosphorylates itself & othe rsignalling molecules like IRS
    3. IRS tyrosine residues get phospharylated = activates signalling pathway
    4. cascade reactions excretion of GLUT-4 vesicles
    5. vesicle endocytosis = embeds GLUT-4 = cell can now accept glucose
60
Q

Role of oestradiol

A
  • secretes gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from neurons in hypothalamus
  • when increases = enhances GnRH => releases follicle stimulating hormone
  • creates menstrual cycle & ovulation
61
Q

Role of progresterone

A
  • maintains menstrual cycle & leads to secretal endometrium = periods
  • binds with progresterone receptor
  • causes differnentiation of endometrial cells
  • secretes mucus in cervix too
62
Q

Mechanism of steroid hormones

A

! endocrine gland secrete hormone directly into bloodstream !

Steroid
* passes directly through plasma membrane
* bind to receptor protein in cytoplasm (receptor.hormone complex)
* enters nucleus
* promotes transcription of specifc genes

63
Q

Steroid vs Peptide hormones

A

Steroid
* enters through plasma membrane
* bind to receptor in cytoplasm
* act directly on DNA
* directly affect transcription

Peptide
* do not pass through membrane
* bind to extracellular receptor
* act through 2nd messenger/cAMP
* influnece protein kinase

64
Q

Effect/Mechnanism of peptide hormones

A

! endocrine gland secrete hormone directly into bloodstream !

Peptide hormome
* bind to receptor in plamsa membrane of target cell
* activates cascade of reactions
* mediated by second messanger
* activation of enzyme