124 Flashcards
(323 cards)
why are signalling systems needed
coordinate the activities of cells/tissues in a multi-cellular organism
- neurotransmission
- coordination of developmental processes
- homeostasis
types of signalling between cells
- free diffusion between cells
- via cytoplasmic connections
- direct cell-to-cell contact
3 types of signalling by free diffusion
autocrine
paracrine
endocrine
autocrine
signalling and reception by the same cell
cell secretes chemicals that modify its own behaviour
associated with growth regulation
paracrine
signalling between nearby cells
effects local and short-lived
important in coordinating the actions of neighbouring cells in embryonic development
endocrine - signalling by free diffusion
signalling between distant cells (by ‘hormones’)
endocrine glands secrete hormones into extracellular spaces which diffuses into the circulatory system
- pituitary gland
- adrenal gland
-thyroid gland
synaptic signalling
highly specific
localized type of paracrine signalling between 2 nerve cells or between a nerve and muscle cell
signalling via cytoplasmic connections is the fastest mode of cell-cell communication
t/f
true
how do signals transfer from one cell to its neighbour in signalling via cytoplasmic connections
through pores in the membrane
what does signalling by cell-to-cell contact involve
specific interactions between surface molecules on once cell and receptors on another cell
responsible for cell-cell recognition in animals
important in embryonic development and immune response
2 types of signalling molecules
local regulators- act on cells in the vicinity(auto/paracrine)
hormones- act at distance(endocrine)
4 local regulators
growth factors
gases
prostaglandins
neurotransmitter
growth factors as a local regulator
peptides or proteins that stimulate cell proliferation
may have >1 target cells and hence >1 function
e.g. nerve growth factor
gases as a local regulators
NO acts as a paracrine signal molecule
synthesized from arginine by NO synthase
induces vasodilation
prostaglandins as local regulators
modified fatty acids
multiple functions:
- excitability of uterine wall during childbirth
- induction of fever and inflammation in immune system
neurotransmitter as a local regulators
acetylcholine
biogenic amines
amino acids
neuropeptides
either inhibitory or exhibitory and some both
some occur in both CNS or PNS
how are hormones transported
bloodstream
what is hormone production contolled by
neuroendocrine system
hypothalamus is control centre
homeostasis definition
maintenance of a relatively stable internal environemnt in the face of stress from the external and internal environment
internal environemnt is not constant it is in dynamic equibibrium
what happens if blood glucose is high
islet beta cells in pancreas detect high glucose
release insulin
body takes up more glucose and liver stores glucose and store as glycogen
blood glucose declines
what happens when blood glucose is too low
alpha cells in pancrease stimulate to release glucagon into the blood
liver breaks down glycogen and releases glucose
blood glucose rises
2 main classes of hormones
peptides and proteins- bind to receptors on cell surface, trigger events within cell cytoplasm through second messengers
steroids- manufactured from cholesterol, can pass across lipid bilayer of plamsa membrane and bind to receptors wthin cell
signal transduction pathway
the conversion of a signal at the cell surface to a specific cellular response is a multi-step process
what are the 3 main stages of signal transduction
- reception of the signal at the cell surface- binds receptor changing receptor conformation
- transduction of the signal- multistep pathway providing more opportunities for coordiantion and regualtion
- cellular response