Second Messengers

Question 1

Second messenger

Answer 1

Intracellular (inside the cell) signalling molecules that are released by the cell in response to exposure to extra cellular signalling molecules (first messenger)

Question 2

What are the first messengers?

Answer 2

Glucagon and adrenaline

Question 3

How do second messengers start?

Answer 3

First messenger (glucagon/adrenalin) arrives at complementary receptor on target cell

Question 4

What happens when first messengers bind to target cell?

Answer 4

Causes tertiary structure of receptor changed shape which is transmitted to nearby enzyme adenylate cyclase

Question 5

When adenylate cyclase changes shape…

Answer 5

It’s active site is exposed

Question 6

What does adenylate cyclase do

Answer 6

Concerts atp to cyclic amp (the second messenger)

Question 7

Cyclic amp does…

Answer 7

Binds to enzyme in cytoplasm called protein kinase changes tertiary structure and exposes active site

Question 8

Protein kinase…

Answer 8

Activates enzymes that converts glycogen/amino acids/ glycerol to glucose