Intercellular Communication

Question 1

Why is intercellular communication important?

Answer 1

Breakdown in cell communication leads to malfunction and disease

Question 2

What are the three ways in which animal cells communicate?

Answer 2

Secretion of chemical messengers
Contact communication by membrane bound molecules
Inter-cellular communication via gap junctions

Question 3

Signalling mechanisms ________ in the distances over which they operate

Answer 3

Vary

Question 4

How does long distance chemical signalling work?

Answer 4

The cells of the ENDOCRINE system secrete HORMONES which travel through the BLOODSTREAM to specific target cells

Question 5

How does medium distance chemical signalling work?

Answer 5

PARACRINE cells secrete LOCAL CHEMICAL MEDIATORS which act only on cells in the IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT

Question 6

How does short distance (synaptic) chemical signalling work?

Answer 6

Involves production of NEUROTRANSMITTERS by NERVE CELLS. (The chemicals only move a short distance between adjacent cells)

Question 7

______________ are nerve cells in the brain with endocrine function

Answer 7

Neuroendocrine

Question 8

____________ are nerve cells with paracrine function

Answer 8

Neurocrine

Question 9

Hormones can be…

Answer 9

Modified amino acids
Small peptides
Small proteins
Steroids

Question 10

Local chemical mediators can be….

Answer 10

Amino acid derivatives
Fatty acid derivatives
Small proteins
Dissolved gases

Question 11

Neurotransmitters can be….

Answer 11

Amino acids
Amino acid derivatives
Choline derivatives
Small peptides

Question 12

Cells need __________ from other cells simply to survive

Answer 12

input (chemical signals)

Question 13

Different cells can react in ________ ways to the same chemical signal

Answer 13

different

Question 14

The speed of the cellular response is _________ variable

Answer 14

highly

Question 15

Do neurotransmitters have act rapidly or slowly?

Answer 15

Rapidly

Question 16

Information in neurotransmitters is transmitted over _______ distances at high speed by ELECTRICAL impulses

Answer 16

long

Question 17

When is the information from a neurotransmitter converted from electrical to chemical?

Answer 17

At the nerve terminal (synapse)

Question 18

Local concentrations of neurotransmitters tend to be________

Answer 18

high

Question 19

Hormones act at ____ concentrations

Answer 19

low

Question 20

Hormones are important in ________ processes

Answer 20

developmental

Question 21

In hormones, endocrine signalling is ____, it relies on diffusion and blood flow

Answer 21

slow

Question 22

Effects of hormones often involve regulation of _______

Answer 22

gene expression

Question 23

What are the primary endocrine organs?

Answer 23

Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus
Thyroid gland
Parathyroid gland
Adrenal glands
Thymus
Testes/ovaries