Intercellular Communication Flashcards
Why is intercellular communication important?
Breakdown in cell communication leads to malfunction and disease
What are the three ways in which animal cells communicate?
Secretion of chemical messengers
Contact communication by membrane bound molecules
Inter-cellular communication via gap junctions
Signalling mechanisms ________ in the distances over which they operate
Vary
How does long distance chemical signalling work?
The cells of the ENDOCRINE system secrete HORMONES which travel through the BLOODSTREAM to specific target cells
How does medium distance chemical signalling work?
PARACRINE cells secrete LOCAL CHEMICAL MEDIATORS which act only on cells in the IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT
How does short distance (synaptic) chemical signalling work?
Involves production of NEUROTRANSMITTERS by NERVE CELLS. (The chemicals only move a short distance between adjacent cells)
______________ are nerve cells in the brain with endocrine function
Neuroendocrine
____________ are nerve cells with paracrine function
Neurocrine
Hormones can be…
Modified amino acids
Small peptides
Small proteins
Steroids
Local chemical mediators can be….
Amino acid derivatives
Fatty acid derivatives
Small proteins
Dissolved gases
Neurotransmitters can be….
Amino acids
Amino acid derivatives
Choline derivatives
Small peptides
Cells need __________ from other cells simply to survive
input (chemical signals)
Different cells can react in ________ ways to the same chemical signal
different
The speed of the cellular response is _________ variable
highly
Do neurotransmitters have act rapidly or slowly?
Rapidly
Information in neurotransmitters is transmitted over _______ distances at high speed by ELECTRICAL impulses
long
When is the information from a neurotransmitter converted from electrical to chemical?
At the nerve terminal (synapse)
Local concentrations of neurotransmitters tend to be________
high
Hormones act at ____ concentrations
low
Hormones are important in ________ processes
developmental
In hormones, endocrine signalling is ____, it relies on diffusion and blood flow
slow
Effects of hormones often involve regulation of _______
gene expression
What are the primary endocrine organs?
Pineal gland Pituitary gland Hypothalamus Thyroid gland Parathyroid gland Adrenal glands Thymus Testes/ovaries
