Ligands and Receptors Flashcards
(56 cards)
Cell communication
-only in multicellular organisms
Cell communication in embryos?
Necessary for growth, migration, and differentiation of cells in the embryo and their tissue organization
Cell communication in adults?
Helps with normal ceullar behaviour but also responses to wounding and infection
Defects in cell communication can lead to ?
-Cancer
-Diabetes
-Disorders of the immune system
-Disorders of the CV system
Cellular interactions steps?
- Production of signalling molecule
- Activation of the receptor on the other cell
- Biochemical changes resulting in signal transduction
- Signal sent to nucleus to affect gene expression
Examples of ligands?
-Growth factors
-Hormones
Autocrine signalling?
When the ligand acts on the same cell
Paracrine signalling?
When the ligand acts on another cells close in proximity
Endocrine signalling?
When the ligand acts at a distance
Ex. Hormones travel through the bloodstream
Synaptic signalling?
Specific to nerve cells
Juxtacrine signalling?
Direct signalling between neighbouring cells
Each cell is programmed to respond to specific combinations of ligands?
Combinatorial signalling
cells are exposed to many ligands
-Cells must only respond to some of them
How do cells avoid programmed cell death?
Cells rely on a set of ligands to avoid programmed cell death
T/F: Every cell is programmed to die unless you give it survival factors, growth factors and mitogens?
True
How can the same ligand induce different responses in different cells?
-The ligand binds different receptors on different cells
-The same receptor can potentially elicit different responses on different cells
How does ACh ligand induce different responses in target cells?
- Skeletal muscle cells: when ACh binds receptor it leads to contraction of SM
- Heart muscle: when ACh binds receptor it leads to relaxation of heart muscle cells
- Secretory cells: when ACh binds receptor it leads to secretion
T/F: Ligands act at low concentration and they are recognized by their receptor with high affinity?
True
Hydrophilic ligands?
-Cannot cross through the cell membrane
-Must bind transmembrane receptors
Small liposoluble ligands?
-Can cross through the cell membrane
-Have intracellular receptors
Two types of receptors?
- Surface receptors
- Intracellular receptors
Surface receptors?
-Recieve signals from protein-like molecules or small molecules
-Hydrophilic ligands
Intracellular receptors?
-Hydrophobic molecules that can cross the lipid membrane bind to these receptors
Ex. Vitamins/hormones
Liposoluble steroid hormones?
-Small hydrophobic molecules that can diffuse through the cell membrane and bind intracellular receptors activating them
Steroid nuclear receptors?
-Localised in the nucleus and directly regulate the transcription of genes when bound by ligand