Membrane Junctions Flashcards
Membrane receptors allow for
Cells to communicate with the outside world
What are membrane receptors?
Integral protein embedded in the cell membrane that communicates with outside environment
What binds to membrane receptors?
Extracellular signaling molecules, forming a ligand-receptor complex
Signal Transduction is the act of
Binding with the cell + telling it what to do
Membrane receptors have specific
Preferences for ligands
What are the types of Membrane Receptors?
- Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
- G Protein coupled receptors
- Enzyme Linked Receptors
Ligand-Gated Ion Channels are found in
Nervous System / any excitable cells
What happens in Ligand-Gated Ion Channels?
Transmembrane ion channels open / close in response to chemical messenger (like ligand)
A closed Ligand-Gated Ion Channel opens when
A ligand binds to an allosteric site
Where is the binding site of the Ligand-Gated Ion Channel?
Not near the channel, rather can be either IC or EC
How does an attached ligand control the opening / closing of ion channels?
They do so by altering protein conformation of the protein attached to
What happens once a Ligand-Gated Ion Channel opens?
Ions move through, causing a change in the electrical properties of the cell
The ions moving through a Ligand-Gated Ion Channel cause for a
Conversion from EC ligand signal into IC electrical signal, creating an electrical signal inside the cell
Voltage-gated ion channels rely on the
Difference in membrane potential within the cell
G Protein coupled receptors are only found in
Eukaryotes
