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GSBS Cell Bio > Cell Signaling > Flashcards

Cell Signaling Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the smallest unit of life?

A

The cell is the smallest unit of life that can exist on its own.

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2
Q

What are the two main types of cells?

A

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

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3
Q

Name a key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells regarding the nucleus.

A

Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus while eukaryotic cells have a nucleus.

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4
Q

What is the function of cell signaling?

A

To monitor the environment and respond to external stimuli.

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5
Q

What are the main steps of cell signaling?

A

signal generation
signal transmission
signal reception
signal transduction
cellular response
signal termination

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6
Q

What are the three types of cell signaling based on distance?

A

Endocrine
paracrine
Autocrine
synaptic

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7
Q

How does endocrine signaling work?

A

Hormones are released into the bloodstream and travel long distances to target cells.

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8
Q

What is paracrine signaling?

A

A signaling cell releases a ligand that affects neighboring cells in close proximity.

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9
Q

What is autocrine signaling?

A

The signaling cell releases a ligand that binds to receptors on its own surface affecting itself.

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10
Q

What is juxtracrine signaling?

A

Direct cell-to-cell contact where signaling molecules remain attached to the signaling cell’s surface.

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11
Q

What happens when a ligand binds to a receptor?

A

It causes a conformational change leading to a cellular response.

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12
Q

What is the main function of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)?

A

They phosphorylate themselves and other proteins to transmit signals.

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13
Q

How do G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) work?

A

They activate G proteins which then activate effector proteins to generate a second messenger.

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14
Q

What is cAMP?

A

A second messenger synthesized by adenylyl cyclase from ATP.

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15
Q

How is cAMP signaling terminated?

A

By degradation of cAMP and dephosphorylation of proteins by phosphatases.

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16
Q

What are lipid-derived second messengers? .

A

Molecules like DAG and IP3 generated from membrane phospholipids

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17
Q

What is the function of IP3?

A

It binds to IP3 receptors on the ER triggering calcium release.

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18
Q

What are the main ways cells maintain low cytosolic calcium concentration?

A

By using calcium pumps to pump Ca2+ into the ER or out of the cell.

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19
Q

What are ryanodine receptors?

A

Calcium channels in the ER and sarcoplasmic reticulum involved in muscle contraction.

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20
Q

What is the role of integrins in cell signaling?

A

They mediate cell attachment to the extracellular matrix and initiate intracellular signaling.

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21
Q

What is the MAP kinase cascade?

A

A signaling pathway that transmits signals from receptor tyrosine kinases to the nucleus.

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22
Q

How do protein kinases work?

A

They phosphorylate proteins at serine/threonine or tyrosine residues.

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23
Q

What are phosphatases?

A

Enzymes that remove phosphate groups from proteins.

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24
Q

What is the role of adaptor proteins?

A

They facilitate protein-protein interactions in signaling pathways.

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25
Flashcard 29 Q: What is the function of GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs)? A: They accelerate the hydrolysis of GTP to GDP
inactivating G-proteins.
26
How do G-proteins switch between active and inactive states?
By binding GTP (active) and hydrolyzing it to GDP (inactive).
27
What is signal amplification in cell signaling?
A single ligand binding event triggers a cascade that amplifies the signal through multiple steps.
28
How does termination of signaling occur?
Through degradation of second messengers and dephosphorylation of signaling proteins.
29
hat is the role of phospholipase C (PLC)?
It cleaves PIP2 into DAG and IP3 which serve as second messengers.
30
How does calcium function as a second messenger?
By binding to proteins like calmodulin to regulate various cellular processes.
31
What is the function of calmodulin?
It binds calcium and activates various enzymes and proteins.
32
What is the function of receptor serine/threonine kinases?
They phosphorylate target proteins on serine or threonine residues.
33
How do integrins influence intracellular signaling?
By interacting with focal adhesion proteins and activating kinases like Src and FAK.
34
What is the role of SH2 domains in signaling? .
They bind to phosphorylated tyrosine residues on activated receptors
35
How do death receptors initiate apoptosis?
By binding ligands like FasL which activate caspases.
36
What is the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis?.
Apoptosis triggered by external signals binding to death receptors
37
What is the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis?
Apoptosis initiated by internal stress signals leading to mitochondrial cytochrome c release.
38
How does the Bcl-2 family regulate apoptosis?
By promoting (Bax Bak) or inhibiting (Bcl-2)
39
What is cross-talk in signaling pathways?
Interaction between different signaling pathways to regulate cellular responses.
40
How does insulin signaling regulate glucose uptake?
By activating receptor tyrosine kinases that trigger GLUT4 translocation.
41
What is the function of the JAK-STAT pathway?
Transmitting signals from cytokine receptors to the nucleus for gene expression.
42
How does Wnt signaling affect cell fate?
By stabilizing β-catenin which enters the nucleus and activates transcription.
43
What is the role of Hedgehog signaling?
It controls tissue patterning during development by regulating gene transcription.
44
What is Notch signaling?
A cell-cell communication pathway that regulates differentiation.
45
How is Notch signaling activated?
By ligand binding leading to proteolytic cleavage and release of the Notch intracellular domain.
46
What is the role of the NF-κB pathway?
Regulating immune responses inflammation
47
How is the NF-κB pathway activated?
By stimuli like cytokines leading to IκB degradation and NF-κB nuclear translocation.
48
What are Toll-like receptors (TLRs)?
Pattern recognition receptors that detect microbial components and activate immune signaling.
49
How does GPCR desensitization occur?
Through phosphorylation and arrestin binding preventing further activation.
50
What is the function of Ras in signaling?
It acts as a molecular switch in receptor tyrosine kinase pathways.
51
How does Ras become activated?
By exchanging GDP for GTP upon receptor activation.
52
What is a scaffold protein?
A protein that organizes signaling complexes to enhance specificity and efficiency.
53
How does Akt/PKB promote cell survival?
By phosphorylating targets that inhibit apoptosis and stimulate growth.
54
What is mTOR signaling?
A pathway that regulates cell growth and metabolism in response to nutrients and signals.
55
How is mTOR activated?
By PI3K-Akt signaling in response to growth factors.
56
What is the role of TGF-β signaling?
It regulates cell proliferation differentiation
57
How do cells adapt to hypoxia?
By activating HIF-1 which induces genes for oxygen transport and metabolism.
58
What is the unfolded protein response (UPR)?
A cellular stress response to misfolded proteins in the ER.
59
How does the UPR protect cells?
By upregulating chaperones and reducing protein synthesis.
60
What is quorum sensing in bacteria?
A communication method where bacteria coordinate gene expression based on population density.
61
How do steroid hormones signal inside the cell?
By binding intracellular receptors that regulate gene transcription.
62
What is the Hedgehog pathway's role in cancer?
Aberrant activation can promote tumor growth.
63
How does phosphorylation regulate signaling proteins?
By activating or inhibiting protein function altering interactions.
64
six classes of enzyme linked cell surface receptors
1. Receptor tyrosine kinases 2. Tyrosine kinase-associated receptors 3. Receptorlike tyrosine phosphatases 4. Receptor serine/threonine kinases 5. Receptor guanylyl cyclases 6. Histidine-kinase-associated receptors
65
3 types of cell division
mitosis meiosis prokaryotic fission
66
signal generation
In response to a stimulus, a signaling molecule or ligand is produced and released by a signaling cell. The stimulus can be external, such as environmental changes, or internal, such as the presence of specific molecules or cellular conditions.
67
signal transmission
The signaling molecule travels through the extracellular space (in the case of local signaling) or through the circulatory system (in the case of long-range signaling) to reach its target cells.
68
autocrine signaling
The signalling cell releases a ligand that binds to receptors on its own surface, affecting its own activity.
69
paracrine signaling
The signalling cell releases a ligand that affects neighbouring cells in close proximity.
70
endocrine signaling
The signalling cell releases a hormone into the bloodstream, which can travel long distances to reach target cells throughout the body.
71
juxtracrine signaling
Direct cell-to-cell contact, where signalling molecules remain attached to the surface of the signalling cell and interact with receptors on the surface of the target cell.
72
signal reception
The target cell detects the signaling molecule via specific receptor proteins, usually located on the cell membrane or within the cell. Receptor proteins are highly specific for their ligands, ensuring that only the appropriate target cells respond to a particular signaling molecule.
73
signal transduction
Once the receptor binds to the ligand, it undergoes a conformational change that activates a cascade of intracellular signalling events. This often involves a series of protein modifications (e.g., phosphorylation) and the activation or deactivation of various proteins, enzymes, and secondary messengers. The signal transduction pathway ultimately leads to a specific cellular response.
74
cellular response
The signal transduction pathway produces changes in the target cell's activity, such as alterations in gene expression, protein synthesis, enzyme activity, or cytoskeletal organization. These changes may result in various outcomes, such as cell division, differentiation, migration, secretion, or apoptosis (programmed cell death).
75
signal termination
To prevent continuous activation and maintain sensitivity to new signals, the cellular response must be terminated. This occurs through various mechanisms, such as the removal or degradation of the signaling molecule, the internalization or inactivation of the receptor, or the deactivation of intracellular signaling proteins.
76
6 steps of cell signaling
signal generation signal transmission signal reception signal transduction cellular response signal termination
77
three largest classes of cell surface receptor proteins
ion channel linked g-protein linked enzyme linked

GSBS Cell Bio (6 decks)

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