Cell Signalling Flashcards
How do cells communicate with other cells over short distances?
Make physical contact
- Cell junctions
Send chemical signal to adjacent cells
How do cells communicate with other cells over long distances?
Hormones go through the bloodstream then reaches another cell. Hormones is a cell signaling molecule.
How is the process of distance communication different from the process of communicating during cell-cell contact?
Structural modifications of the cells membrane and cell wall (plasmodesmata & gap junctions) allow cells to send chemical signals.
What is a signal transduction pathway?
Binds signalling molecules to receptors located on the cell surface or inside the cell that invokes a response
Why do cells use signal transduction pathway?
Link reception with cellular response
How does a signal transduction pathway begin?
Receptor or ligands binds to an external receptor or an intracellular receptor
What is the role of protein modification in signal transduction pathways?
Conformational shape(receptor shape) changes due to ligand binding. AN intracellular response is activated which causes a second messenger to be activated.
What is the role of phosphorylation cascades in signaling transduction pathways?
Signalling pathways where one enzyme phosphorylates another causing an amplification of the reaction, leading to the phosphorylation of thousands of proteins
How can mutations in the receptor protein or any component of the signalling pathway affect the transduction of a signal?
Alters the ligand/receptor specificity can lead to incompatibility which can alter the signal transduction pathway. The receptor will not underdog proper conformational shape change, resulting in an inactive internal pathway.
What is the effect of chemicals activating a pathway?
Amplification of the pathway
What is the effect of chemicals inhibiting a pathway?
Lead to the pathway not occurring
What are the 2 types of signalling?
Long distance signalling and short distance signalling (local)
Describe long distance signalling
Endocrine signaling → involves hormones (typical messenger of long-distance signaling)
Describe how hormones travel through the body
Hormones typically get sent throught the bloodstream which gets picked up by a cell by attaching to a receptor
What are the two types of local signalling and describe each?
1.Autocrine Signalling: molecule goes back to same cell e.g. growth
E.g. molecule gets sent back as a message for the cell to multiply and divide
2.Paracrine Signalling: sending signals to nearby cells
Define synaptic signalling
type of paracrine signalling but have to do w/ neurotransmitter
What are the cell junctions in animal cells called and define it?
Gap Junctions: In animal cells→ protein channels in between 2 animal cells which allow for ions and electricity to pass
What are the cell junctions in plant cells called and define it?
Plasmodesmata: part of cell wall- allows molecules to pass; typically small and hydrophilic; sugars, amino acids and ions
What does the ability of the cell to respond to that signal depend on?
whether or not they have the receptor specific to that signal
What are the 3 major stages of signalling?
reception, transduction and response