Cell Structure and Function: Cell Signalling Flashcards

1
Q

What is local signalling?

A

Signals that act on nearby targets

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2
Q

What is paracrine signalling

A

Is when a cell produces a signal to induce change in nearby cells

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3
Q

What is an example of paracrine signalling?

A

Growth factors such as fibroblasts growth factor (FGF1)

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4
Q

What is synaptic signalling?

A

similar to paracrine signalling but have junctions (synapses) between the cell produces the signal ( neurotransmitters) and the cell receiving the signal

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5
Q

What is an example of synaptic signalling?

A

Acetylcholine

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6
Q

What is long distance signalling?

A

are signals that act from a distance. Hormones produced by specialised cells travel via circulatory system to act on specific cells (produced from endocrine system)

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7
Q

What are some examples of long distance signalling?

A

insulin from pancreatic beta cells bind to insulin receptors (tyrosine kinase type) initiating a cascade which results in glucose uptake

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8
Q

What are the two types of local signalling?

A

Paracrine and Synaptic

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9
Q

What are the two types of secreted signals?

A

Local and long distance

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10
Q

What are the three steps of cell signalling?

A

Reception, transduction, response

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11
Q

What is the first step of cell signalling?

A

Reception

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12
Q

What is reception?

A

Allows or causes the activation of a protein

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13
Q

What are the two types of receptors?

A

Intracellular and membrane bound/cell surface receptors

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14
Q

What are intracellular receptors?

A

Receptors inside our cells

They are the least common type of receptor

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15
Q

Where are intracellular receptors located?

A

Cytoplasm or cytosol of the cell

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16
Q

Examples of ligands that bind to intracellular receptors

A

Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones bind to receptors in the cytoplasm (they are hydrophobic so they can pass through plasma membrane) and move to nucleus as a complex)

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17
Q

What is a ligand/primary messenger/signalling molecule?

A

a signalling molecule that binds to another (usually larger) specific protein

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18
Q

How can some ligands cross the plasma membrane to reach intracellular receptors?

A

They are hydrophobic and/or small

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19
Q

What are membrane bound/cell surface receptors?

A

Receptors embedded in the plasma membrane of the cell/membrane of organelles

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20
Q

Function of membrane bound receptors?

A

To allow primary messengers that are hydrophilic and/or large to cross the plasma membrane

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21
Q

Examples of membrane bound receptors

A

G Protein Coupled Receptor, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase, ligand-gated ion channel

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22
Q

What are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs)?

A

A membrane bound receptor that is also a transmembrane protein that crosses the plasma membrane 7 times

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23
Q

What are transmembrane domains?

A

The loops on a GPCR that are in the hydrophilic regions inside and outside a cell so they can interact with molecules

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24
Q

What are G proteins

A

the proteins that GPCR’s are coupled with. They are molecular switches that are either on or off depending on whether GDP or GTP is bound

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25
Q

What is GTP

A

An energy source, similar to ATP

26
Q

What is the process of GPCRs?

A

At rest, the receptor is unbound and G protein is bound to GDP (inactive). The enzyme is in an inactive state
Ligand binds to the receptor and binds the G protein and causes a conformational shape change of GPCR. GTP displaces GDP causing G protein to become activated. The enzyme is still inactive
Activated G protein dissociates from the receptor. Enzyme is activated and has a conformational shape change. It can elicit a cellular response
G protein has GTPase activity (release of GTP) promoting its release from enzyme reverting it back to resting state

27
Q

What are ligand gated ion channel/receptors?

A

A membrane bound receptor that contains a gate, which is closed until a ligand (e.g. a neurotransmitter) binds to it causing the gate to change shape and open

28
Q

What is a receptor?

A

a molecule/protein which responds to a specific ligand

29
Q

What is an ion channel?

A

membrane protein through which specific ions can travel

30
Q

What is an ion channel receptor?

A

membrane protein through which specific ions can

travel, in response to ligand binding (also known as ionotropic receptors)

31
Q

What is the process of ligand gated ion channels/receptors?

A

At rest ligand is unbound and the gate is closed
Upon ligand binding, the ligand gated ion channel receptor undergoes a shape change and the gate is opened and specific ions can flow into the cell (down concentration gradient)
Following ligand dissociation, the gate closes and goes back to resting

32
Q

What system relies heavily on ligand fated ion channels?

A

The nervous system. Released neurotransmitters binds, as ligands, to ion channels on target cells to propagate action potentials

33
Q

What is the second step of cell signalling?

A

Signal Transduction

34
Q

What is signal transduction?

A

Signals are relayed from receptors to target molecules within the cell via a ‘cascade’ of molecular interactions

35
Q

What is protein kinases

A

are enzymes that transfer a phosphate group from ATP to another protein. Typically, this activates the protein

36
Q

What are phosphatases?

A

are enzymes that dephosphorylate (remove the phosphate) rendering the protein inactive, but recyclable

37
Q

What does the last active protein kinases do?

A

activates an inactive protein which then carries out a cellular response

38
Q

What are the amino acids that are typically phosphorylated?

A

serine or threonine

39
Q

What is a secondary messenger?

A

A molecule that is generated when a specific substance attaches to a receptor on the outside of a cell membrane, which produces a change in cellular function.

40
Q

What is cAMP (cyclic AMP)?

A

A secondary messenger that is created when activated enzyme adenylyl cyclase converts ATP to cAMP. cAMP acts as a second messenger and activates downstream protein (which could be the start of a phosphorylation cascade)

41
Q

What disrupts the ATP to cAMP process

A

Cholera toxin

42
Q

What is calcium?

A

A secondary messenger released from the endoplasmic reticulum

43
Q

What is IP3?

A

A secondary messenger that diffuses through the cytoplasm and binds to a gated channel in the ER to release calcium ions

44
Q

Where is there a low [Ca2+] ?

A

Inside the cell

45
Q

Where is there a high [Ca2+]?

A

Outside the cell

46
Q

Where is Ca2+ pumped to maintain low calcium levels inside the cell?

A

Extracellular space, ER, Mitochondria

47
Q

What is PIP2

A

a specific phospholipid in calcium signalling

48
Q

What is Phospholipase C?

A

An enzyme that catalyses the splitting of PIP2 to IP3 and DAG.

49
Q

What is the process of IP3 and calcium acting as secondary messengers?

A

Here, the activated protein is phospholipase C which then cleaves PIP2 (a phospholipid) into DAG and IP3
IP3 (the secondary messenger) diffuses through cytosol and binds to a gated channel in the ER (as the ligand)
Calcium ions flow out of ER down concentration gradient (high to low) and activate other proteins towards a cellular response

50
Q

An example of a cellular response of calcium?

A

Muscles use Ca2+ to contract

51
Q

Why are there multiple steps on cell signalling between reception and cell response?

A

Amplifies the response
Provides multiple control points
Allows for specificity of response (temporal and spatial) despite molecules in common
Allows for coordination with other signalling pathways

52
Q

What does the transduction of a signal lead to?

A

The regulation of one or more cellular activities like gene expression

53
Q

Why is it important for cell signalling to be temporary/last a short period of time?

A

So that a cell can return to homeostatic equilibrium and be ready to respond again to another signal if required

54
Q

What is phosphodiesterase?

A

An enzyme that converts cAMP to AMP

55
Q

What blocks the action of phosphodiesterase?

A

Caffeine

56
Q

What does viagra inhibit?

A

The specific cGMP which degrades phosphodiesterase

57
Q

What is epinephrine?

A

Adrenalin

58
Q

What is the function of active glycogen phosphorylase?

A

Converting glycogen to glucose 1-phosphate

59
Q

How many glucose 1-phosphate molecules result from 1 adrenalin molecule?

A

108

60
Q

What is glycogen?

A

is a long term energy store in the liver and skeletal muscle

61
Q

What is glycogen breakdown?

A

Converting glycogen into glucose 1-phosphate

62
Q

What is glucose 1-phosphate converted into?

A

Glucose g-phosphate which can be used in glycolysis to generate ATP