Cell Signaling

Question 1

What is cell signalling (generally)?

Answer 1

Communication between cells

Question 2

What is the purpose of external signal molecules?

Answer 2

Control cell behavior (survive, grow/divide, differentiate, apoptosis)

Question 3

Generally, what can signalling pathways do?

Answer 3

Stuff binds to receptors

Makes proteins inside signal

(e.g. altered metabolism, gene expression, cell shape)

Question 4

You have two extracellular signals

Signal 1 inhibits signal 2

Signal 2 inhibits signal 1

Both signal 1 and signal 2 make a regulator that starts gene expression

What do you need to start gene expression?

Answer 4

One or the other but not both

Question 5

Acetylcholine binds to a protein in the heart

acetylcholine binds to a protein in the muscle

Does the same thing happen?

Answer 5

NO, different responses

Question 6

Difference between synaptic signalling and endocrine?

Answer 6

Synaptic: precise (e.g. neurotransmitters, low binding affinity but high concentration)

Endocrine: imprecise but wide (e.g. endocrine secretes hormone that goes everywhere)