Signalling Flashcards
How to measure cell signalling capacity?
- number of signalling proteins encoded by genome
Compare signalling capacity between unicellular vs multicellular
multicellular organisms devote 10x more genes to signalling
Name the forms of signal
- Proteins (insulin, fibroblast growth factors)
- Small hydrophobic molecules (animal steroid hormones)
- Small hydrophillic molecules (plant auxins)
- Gas (ethylene, nitric oxide)
- Electrical (nerve impulses)
What is signalling range and list the 3 types and how far the distance is.
The distance between the signalling cell and the target cell defines the ‘signalling range’
- Long range signalling 1000mm
- Intermediate range signalling 1mm
- Short range signalling 0
What are the proper names for long/medium/short range signalling and how do they travel to their appropriate sites?
long range = endocrine, travels by bloodstream
intermediate range = paracrine, travels through diffusion
short range/contact dependent = juxtacrine, no distance so no traveling required
give examples of long range signalling
- male and female hormones in sexual dimorphism
- flowering in plants triggered by day length (so all flowers come out at same time to maximise pollination)
- nervous system
Explain flowering im plants triggered by daylight in detail:
Long range signalling enables some plants to time their flowering according to the daylength
- This allows plants of the same species to synchronise their flowering
- This is important for cross pollination
- A flower that comes out by itself will not get pollinated by another flower!
CO is a TF and when day is long (lots of sunlight) CO is expressed at a high level. binds to promotor and causes transcription and translation of CO protein.
- long days = high CO protein = high FT protein = moves through sap from leaf to shoot and slower forms
What does incompetent cells mean?
Many more cells exposed to signal than respond to it. This describes the ability of a cell or tissue to respond to a signal. conversely other cells or tissues cannot respond so
are described as ‘incompetent
Growth cones can bear receptors that interact with axon guidance molecules via paracrine or juxtacrine signalling mechanisms. describe these in detail.
1. Paracrine = short range (examples Slit/Robo + Netrin/DCC)
- The growth cone reacts to these signals as it approaches the cell expressing them.
- Juxtacrine = contact dependent (examples Eph/Ephrin + Semaphorin/plexin)
- The growth cone reacts to these signals when it comes into contact with the cell expressing them
How does nerve signal travel long distances between cells?
- over a short range at synapse
- Nerve impulse causes pre-synaptic cell to release neurotransmitter
- Neurotransmitter travels short distance across the synapse and binds to receptors on post-synaptic cell
- Triggers nerve impulse in post-synaptic cell
Is the knee jerk reflex long/intermediate/short range signalling?
intermediate
- long distance covered by signal travelling along axons
- signalling between cells involve intermediate distance by neurotransmitter
- not short range as neurotransmitter has to travel
Signalling in sex determination. what is primary and secondary sex characteristics?
Primary sex characteristics = capacity of the reproductive gland
- Gonads = ovaries or testes
- Gametes = eggs or sperm
Secondary sex characteristics = sexual dimorphism
- distinct difference in size or appearance between the sexes of an animal in addition to the sexual organs themselves
Explain how the formation of Conrad’s determination secondary sex characteristics
Sry [sex determing region Y chromosome] is a transcription factor only expressed from the Y chromosome. If gonad cells are XY they will express Sry which regulates gene expression leading to testes differentiation.
During sex neutral development the mammalian XX or XY embryo have both male and female structures true/false?
True
How does XY lead to male determination?
Sry signal from Y chromosome causes the gonads to become testes and male structures persists whilst female disappears
XY testes secretes male hormones such as MUllerian-inhibiting substance and testosterone. what do they each do?
- inhibits mullein duct (oviduct)
- signals wolffish duct to develop into vas deferent to carry sperm and signals secondary male sex character