Cell communication Flashcards

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1
Q

Essential parts of a cell signaling pathway

A
Signal (hormone, neurotransmitter, chemical)
Receptor
Signaling molecule
Effector (causes change)
Secondary messenger (ex- Ca+2)
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2
Q

Importance of cell communication

A
Differentiation
Survival
Coordination of systems
Gene expression and regulation
Grow/reproduce
Transportation
Movement
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3
Q

Signal transduction

A

Converting one type of signal to another

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4
Q

Extracellular signal converted into intracellular signal

A
Signal arrives at cell
Designated receptor perceives signal
Signal is transmitted into cell
Signal is passed to various signaling components
Signal arrives at destination
Signal is turned off
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5
Q

First messenger

A

Extracellular substance/molecule that initiates signal

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6
Q

Receptor

A

Binds specifically to first messenger

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7
Q

Ligand

A

Molecule that binds to another

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8
Q

Cascade

A

Events that happen in a specific order after a stimulus (first messenger binds to receptor)

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9
Q

Second messenger

A

Intermediate non-protein molecules that relay signal

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10
Q

Response

A

What happens to the cell (change in gene expression and/or change in protein activity)

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11
Q

Effector protein

A

Affects the behavior of a cell

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12
Q

Mating pathway of yeast

A

Mating type a has a factor (mating pheromone)

a factor binds to protein, triggering cell arrest (use energy to fuse rather than to grow) and then cell fusion

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13
Q

Common themes in cell signaling

A

Specificity: a cell is bombarded with signals (can choose to respond or to ignore)
Amplification: small amount of signal can have big effects on a cell
Cross talk: many signaling cascades happening at once
Concentration: how the cell concentrates and compartmentalizes a signal

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14
Q

Signaling molecules

A
Hormones
Neurotransmitters
2nd messengers (Ca+2)
Growth factors
Pheromones
Amino acids
Proteins 
Ions
Nucleic acids
Lipids
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15
Q

Endocrine signaling

A

Endocrine cells make signaling molecules (hormones)
Hormone travels through bloodstream to target tissue
Target cells recognize signal

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16
Q

Insulin signaling

A

Example of endocrine signaling
Sugar in bloodstream triggers release of insulin from pancreas
Insulin travels to target (example: muscle) and causes target cells to take up glucose

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17
Q

Paracrine signaling

A

Signal is made in one cell and diffuses through extracellular fluid to target cell

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18
Q

Epidermal growth factor

A

Protein that is made in one cell and triggers cell proliferation in a different cell
Example of paracrine signaling

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19
Q

Autocrine signaling

A

Signal is made, secreted, and recognized by the same cell

Reinforcement of signal

20
Q

Neuronal signaling

A

Neurotransmitter is made by neuron
Travels down axon and crosses synapse
Received by target cell

21
Q

Juxtracrine signaling (contact-dependent signaling)

A

Involves direct physical contact of 2 cells
1 cell has receptor anchored in plasma membrane
Other cell has signal anchored in membrane

22
Q

Nerve cell formation

A

Nerve cell develops from unspecialized epithelial cells in embryo
Nerve cell has membrane-bound inhibitory signal protein (Delta) that attaches to receptor protein (Notch) bound to epithelial cells
Epithelial cells are inhibited from becoming neurons

23
Q

Varying effects of acetylcholine

A

Heart muscle cell: decreased rate and force of contraction
Salivary gland cell: secretion of saliva
Skeletal muscle cell: contraction

24
Q

Cell receiving multiple signals at once

A

1 signal can modify another signal (cross talk)
3 survival signals: survive
3 survival signals + 2 grow and divide signals: grow and divide
No survival signals: death

25
Q

Types of cell responses to signal

A

Fast: altered protein function
Slow: altered protein synthesis

26
Q

2 types of receptors

A
Cell surface receptors (signal is large hydrophilic molecule- can't cross membrane)
Intracellular receptors (signal is small hydrophobic molecule- can cross membrane)
27
Q

Small hydrophobic hormones

A

Can cross membrane

Estradiol, testosterone, cortisol

28
Q

Intracellular receptors and response elements

A

Cortisol (stress hormone) binds to nuclear receptor protein, causing conformational change that activates protein
Activated receptor-cortisol complex moves into nucleus
Complex binds to regulatory region of target gene (hormone response element) and activates transcription

29
Q

Dissolved gas signals

A

NO (nitric oxide)
Acetylcholine binds to endothelial cell -> amino acid arginine releases NO -> NO diffuses across membranes -> binds to target protein of smooth muscle cell, causing relaxation of cell

30
Q

Roles of intracellular signaling molecules

A
Relay and spread signal throughout cell
Amplify signal
Integrate several signals
Distribute signal to more than 1 pathway
Compartmentalization of signal (scaffolding, cytoplasmic hotspots, lipid rafts)
31
Q

Signaling molecules acting as molecular switches

A

Phosphorylation either activates or deactivates molecule

32
Q

3 types of cell receptors

A

Ion channel coupled receptors
G-protein coupled receptors
Enzyme coupled receptors

33
Q

Ion channel coupled receptors

A

Signal molecule binds to ligand-gated channel

Channel opens, allowing ions across cell membrane into cytosol

34
Q

G-protein

A

Protein modulated by GTP

35
Q

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs)

A

Receptor has 7 transmembrane domains
Signal binds to GPCR
Heterotrimeric G-protein’s GDP is transformed into GTP
Activated alpha subunit (GTP bound) separates from activated beta-gamma complex
Turn off signal: hydrolyze GTP to GDP
Alpha subunit re-binds to beta-gamma complex

36
Q

Kinase

A

Enzyme that phosphorylates molecules

Cell signaling: phosphorylation activates molecules

37
Q

Regulation of ion channels by G-proteins

A

Activated alpha subunit separates from activated beta-gamma complex
Beta-gamma complex combines with ligand-gated ion channel, opening it

38
Q

Activation of enzymes by G-proteins

A

Activated alpha subunit binds to adenyl cyclase

Adenyl cyclase catalyzes transformation of ATP to cyclic AMP

39
Q

Cyclic AMP

A

Secondary messenger

Synthesized from ATP

40
Q

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase a (PKA) in neurons

A

Initial activation: adrenaline
GPCR activates alpha subunit, which activates adenyl cyclase, which turns ATP into cAMP
cAMP activates PKA
PKA enters nucleus and activates transcription regulator
Transcription of gene

41
Q

cAMP-dependent PKA in skeletal muscle

A

Initial activation: adrenaline
GPCR activates alpha subunit, which activates adenyl cyclase, which turns ATP into cAMP
cAMP activates PKA
PKA activates phosphorylase kinase, which activates glycogen phosphorylase
Glycogen breakdown

42
Q

Phospholipids as secondary messengers

A

Signal activates GPCR, which activates alpha subunit, which activates phospholipase C
Phospholipase C cleaves phospholipid into 2 parts: diacylglycerol (stays in membrane) and IP3 (secondary messenger)
IP3 binds to ligand-gated Ca+2 channel in ER, causing it to open

43
Q

Calmodulin

A

Binds to Ca+2 -> conformation change -> activation of another kinase

44
Q

Enzyme-coupled receptors

A

Dimer molecule binds to receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), activating it
Autophosphorylation of RTK: one molecule of RTK phosphorylates other (2 molecules present)
RTK becomes phosphotyrosine and is recognized by signaling proteins

45
Q

Ras Pathway

A
  1. Signal molecule binds to RTK
  2. RTK is activated
  3. RTK activates Ras-activating protein
  4. GDP is phosphorylated into GTP and binds to Ras protein, activating it
  5. Activated Ras protein binds to MAP (mitogen-activating protein) kinase kinase kinase
  6. MAP kinase kinase kinase hydrolyzes ATP and phosphorylates MAP kinase kinase, activating it
  7. MAP kinase kinase hydrolyzes ATP and phosphorylates MAP kinase, activating it
  8. MAP kinase hydrolyzes ATP and phosphorylates either a protein or a transcription factor, causing either changes in protein activity or gene expression