Module 2: Chemical Messengers

Question 1

What are the function classes of chemical messengers

Answer 1

1. Paracrines (which include autocrines)
2. Neurotransmitters
3. Hormones

Question 2

What type of communication are chemical messengers used in

Answer 2

Indirect communication

Question 3

What is a paracrine

Answer 3

A type of ligand that is secreted immediately outside of the cell and through simple diffusion it affects nearby cells, they work locally

Question 4

What are autocrines

Answer 4

a specific type of paracrine that acts on the cell that secreted them, bind to their own chemical receptors

Question 5

What are neurotransmitters

Answer 5

Involves neurons and is called synaptic signaling, neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal of one neuron into a tiny space between neurons called the synaptic cleft

Question 6

What is a postsynaptic cell

Answer 6

the cell that receives the neurotransmitter

Question 7

What is a presynaptic cell

Answer 7

the cell that releases the neurotransmitter

Question 8

What are hormones

Answer 8

mainly released from glands and are secreted into the bloodstream, they don’t travel to one specific place, when they encounter a receptor specific to them they bind to it and trigger a response