Cell Signalling 2 Flashcards
What are the three main stages of signal transduction?
Signal reception, transduction, and response.
What are the “Four F’s” in evolutionary psychology?
Fighting, Fleeing, Feeding, and Mating
What is the fight-or-flight response?
A physiological reaction to stress that prepares the body to either confront or escape a threat
What is a first messenger in cell signaling?
An extracellular signaling molecule that binds to a receptor on the cell surface.
What is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)?
A receptor that activates intracellular G-proteins to initiate a signaling cascade.
What are second messengers?
Intracellular molecules that relay signals from first messengers to target proteins within the cell
Give an example of a second messenger
Cyclic AMP (cAMP)
What is the role of molecular switches in signal transduction?
They regulate signaling by switching proteins on or off via phosphorylation or dephosphorylation.
What is the function of protein kinases?
They add phosphate groups to proteins, regulating cellular activities like division and metabolism.
What is a protein kinase cascade?
A sequence of phosphorylation events that amplifies and transduces a signal inside the cell.
:Why are protein kinases significant in cancer research?
Many mutated protein kinases are linked to cancer, making them important drug targets
What regulates signal transduction pathways?
The balance between enzymes that activate and inactivate transducers
What is intracellular signaling?
The relay, amplification, integration, and distribution of a signal within a cell
What is the function of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs)?
They regulate the cell cycle by controlling key checkpoints through phosphorylation.
How do intracellular signaling proteins function?
They relay, amplify, integrate, and distribute incoming signals to coordinate cellular responses.
What is the significance of protein phosphorylation in cell signaling?
It is a key regulatory mechanism that affects almost all cellular functions, including metabolism and cell division.
What is the role of apoptosis in cell signaling?
It is a programmed cell death mechanism essential for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating damaged cells
What are some common examples of first messengers?
Hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors.
What is signal amplification in cell signaling?
A process where a single activated receptor triggers a cascade of intracellular reactions, greatly amplifying the signal.
How do second messengers contribute to signal transduction?
They help amplify and distribute the signal inside the cell to ensure an appropriate cellular response.
What is the significance of E. Fisher and E. Krebs in cell signaling?
They discovered protein phosphorylation and won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology.
What happens if signal transduction is not properly regulated?
It can lead to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders.
What is the difference between kinase and phosphatase enzymes?
Kinases add phosphate groups to proteins, while phosphatases remove them.
What is the function of cAMP in cell signaling?
It acts as a second messenger in many signaling pathways, including those regulating metabolism and gene expression
