Ch 6: Communication Flashcards
Methods of cell-to-cell communication
- Gap junctions
- Contact-dependent signals
- Cells release messengers to the ECF
Gap junctions
Direct cytoplasmic transfer b/t adjacent cells
*aka communicating junction
- short distance
- transfer both chemical and electrical signals
Contact-dependent signals
Surface to surface contact b/t membranes
- proteins embedded in membrane
- short distance
Cells release messengers to the ECF
- Long-distance communication
—hormones, neurohormones, & neurotransmitters - Local communication
—paracrine & autocrine
*can go long distances
Cellular messengers
- Hormones
- Neurotransmitters
- Neurohormones
- Paracrine agent
- Autocrine agent
Hormones
Released from tissue and travels to target cell thru blood
Neurotransmitters
Released from neurons to adjacent effector
- only from synapse to adjacent cell
Neurohormones
Released from neuron & travels to target cell thru blood
Paracrine agent
Released into interstitial fluid & affects neighboring target cell
Autocrine agent
Released into interstitial fluid & affects the cell that released it
Communication b/t cells also accomplished by?
SIGNAL MOLECULES (intracellular chemical messenger) & RECEPTOR
Receptors
Protein associated w/ the membrane or cellular interior which will bind a chemical messenger & exert an effect
*protein binding to a ligand
- highly specific
- high affinity for specific messenger
- can be saturated or blocked
Receptors can undergo…
- Down-regulation
- Up-regulation
Down-regulation
Decrease in receptor # in response to chronic elevated levels of messenger
- ex: Type II diabetes
Up-regulation
Increase in receptor # in response to chronic low levels of messengers
Routes of messenger action
- Lipophilic messengers
- Lipophobic messengers
Lipophilic messengers
Diffuse directly thru the membrane to an internal receptor
- lipophilic generally hydrophobic
- contains binding protein (amphipathic)
- relatively slow response, but persist in body
—ex: steroid (modifies transcription)
Lipophobic messengers
Must enter cell thru transport or bind to a surface receptor
- signal transduction
- fast responses (internal), but degrades quickly
- generally hydrophilic
- must bind noncovalently, causing protein to flex