Cell Communication Flashcards
Learning Objectives
> Define the types of signaling.
Discuss the types of signaling molecules and their receptors. (lipophili vs. hydrophilic)
Describe signaling via G protein-coupled recetors (GPCR)
- trimeric G proteins
- effector proteins and their second messengers (cAMP/cGMP)
- GPCR signaling via G1, PLC and PKC
Describe signaling via receptor tyrosine kinases
- monomeric G proteins
- insulin signaling
Does cell signaling occur inside or outside of the cell?
Signal transduction occurs inside the cell.
How do cells get the message from outside to inside of the cell?
Extracellular signaling molecules bind to specific receptors in target cells in initiate a chain of events referred to as signal transduction.
What are the 2 types of major responses the external signals induce?
> Change in activity or function of enzymes or proteins in the cell (fast response).
> Change in amounts of proteins by change in expression of genes (slow response).
What is a fast response in signal transduction?
Change in activity or function of enzymes or proteins in the cell.
What is a slow response in signal transduction?
Change in amounts of proteins by change in expression of genes.
What does leptin do?
Leptin is released from fat and signals hypothalamus that you are full.
Why did leptin pills not work like they thouht they were going to?
Signaling sensitivity at the blood-brain-barrier.
True of False:
Leptin is an example of endocrine signaling?
True
What are types of signaling based on?
distance
What is endocrine signaling?
long distance signaling
signal -> bloodstream -> distant target cells
What type of signals are endocrine signaling?
Free diffusible signals.
Are endocrine signals long lasting?
Yes - long lasting (long half-life in minutes) - takes time to go through the circulatory system to find a target cell.
What is paracrine signaling?
acts locally
affects cells nearby (not as freely diffusible)
How long do paracrine signals last?
short lived signal (e.g., neurotransmitters).
What is an example of a paracrine signaling molecule?
neurotransmitters
What is autocrine signaling?
Cells respond to signals that they themselves release or release to cells of the same type.
Cell secretes signal that feeds back and binds to a receptor on its own surface
What is an example of a autocrine signaling molecule?
growth factors in cancer cells
What is an example of direct (juxtacrine) cell signaling?
Ag-presenting cells to T cells.
True or False:
Each cell interprets the combination of all the types of signaling (endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, and direct (juxtacrine) signaling) to determine what to do.
True
does the cell need to divide, die, differentiate, survive
Give an example of how the same ligand can cause different responses in different cell types.
Acetylcholine can cause:
> heart muscle cells to relax
> skeletal muscle cells to contract
> salivary gland cells to secrete saliva
How does signal transduction work?
> extracellular signal molecule binds to receptor
intracellular signaling of proteins occurs
effector proteins are activated
- metabolic enzyme -> altered metabolism
- gene regulatory protein -> altered gene expression
- cytoskeletal protein -> altered cell shape or movement
What are the three required signaling cascade components?
- signals (ligands)
- receptors
- effectors
When talking about signaling cascade components, what are the characteristics of the signals (ligands)?
- typically secreted by exocytosis (e.g., signal peptide)
- signals stay near or far
When talking about signaling cascade components, what are the characteristics of the receptors?
- bind specifically to signal molecules with high affinity (signals are produced in low levels)
When talking about signaling cascade components, what are the characteristics of the effectors?
- targets of receptors inside cells: alter activity of many different proteins and generate 2nd messengers (small diffusible molecules like cAMP and Ca2+).
In cell signaling, what can ligands be?
- Can be: > proteins > small peptides > amino acid derivatives > hydrophobic molecules (steroid hormones like estrogen)
- even gases (NO)
What are the main categories of ligands?
> Small lipophilic molecules: steroid hormones.
Water soluble molecules - hydrophilic - e.g., growth factors.
steroid hormones and growth factors
What are the properties of growth factors?
Water soluble molecules - hydrophilic.
What are the properties of steroid hormones?
Small lipophilic molecules.
Where are the receptors found for lypophilic ligands?
> found in the cytoplasm and nucleus
> family of DNA-binding transcription factors
Where are the receptors found for hydrophilic ligands?
> found on the surface of plasma membranes
> includes transmembrane proteins such as G protein-coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases
Give some examples of lypophilic ligands.
> Steroid hormones:
- progesterone
- estradiol
- testosterone
- cortisol
- aldosterone
- vitamin D
> Thyroid hormone:
- thyroxine
> Retinoids:
- retinol
- retinoic acid
Give some examples of hydrophilic ligands.
> Amino acid derived:
- histamine
- serotonin
- melatonin
- dopamine
- norepinephrine
- epinephrine
> From lipid metabolism:
- acetylcholine
> Polypeptides:
- insulin
- glucagon
- cytokines
- thyroid-stimulating hormone
What are the two general types of receptors?
- intracellular receptors
- cell surface receptors
What are the characteristics of intracellular receptors?
- steroid receptor can have receptor in cytosol (e.g., estrogen)
- alters gene expression in nucleus
What are the characteristics of cell surface receptors?
- external domain binds ligand
- transmembrane domain anchors receptor
- cytoplasmic domain initiates signal by change in conformation
True of False:
Receptors have a high affinity and bind to ligands with great specificity (concentration of ligand in bloodstream is low).
True
What does the cytoplasmic domain of cell surface receptors initiate?
Initiates signal by change in conformation.
What does the transmembrane domain of cell surface receptors do?
Anchors receptor.
What does the external domain of cell surface receptors do?
Binds ligand.
True or False:
Most signaling molecules are lipophilic and require intracellular receptors.
False - most signaling molecules are HYDROPHILIC and require CELL-SURFACE RECEPTORS.
True of False:
Small hydrophilic signaling molecules can diffuse across the cytoplasmic membrane and bind to intracellular receptors.
False - SMALL HYDROPHOBIC signaling molecules can diffuse across the cytoplasmic membrane and bind to INTRACELLULAR RECEPTORS.
List some hydrophobic ligands and signals.
- cortisol
- estradiol
- testosterone
- vitamin D3
- thyroxine
- retinoic acid
For transcription of a target gene by the signaling via hormone ligands, what must be present at the DNA level?
coactivator proteins
What are the three main types of cell signaling receptors in the plasma membrane?
- ion channel-coupled receptors
- G-Protein-Coupled Receptors
- Enzyme-Coupled Receptors
not covering ion channel-coupled receptors
In what type of tissue are gated ion channels commonly found?
nervous tissue
How many pass transmembrane proteins are used by GPCRs?
7
In which receptor class are tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in?
enzyme-coupled receptor class
What are the characteristics of transmembrane receptors?
- Receptor mediated signaling.
- Most ligands or hormones are hydrophilic or large and can’t get into a cell.
- They need some way to transduce a binding event on the cell surface to send signal inside the cell.
- One major class of surface receptors that mediate these signals are G-protein couple receptors (also called 7 transmembrane receptors).
- There are > 1,000 GPCRs
- Affect olfaction, sight, and taste.
Over 60% of all drugs target GPCRs
What are the three parts of a GPCR?
- extracellular domain - binds to ligand
> transmembrane domain - anchors receptor
> cytoplasmic domain - associates with G-proteins
What are heterotrimeric G-proteins?
Are guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that consist of three subunits designated alpha, beta, and gamma.