LS 2 midterm 2 Flashcards
cell response to a signal molecule (3 steps)
- signal binds to a receptor in the cell (often in outside surface of plasma membrane)
- signal binding conveys a message to the cell
- the cell changes its activity in response to the signal
signal transduction pathways
a sequence of molecular events and chemical reactions that lead to a cell’s response to a signal
(all involve a signal, a receptor, and a response)
autocrine
signals that diffuse to and affect the cells that make them
example of autocrine signal
tumor cells reproducing uncontrollably because they both make, and respond to, signals that stimulate cell division
juxtacrine
signals affect only cells adjacent to the cell producing the signal
when is juxtacrine signaling common
during development
paracrine
signals diffuse to and affect nearby cells
local mediators
e.g. histamines, EGFS
example of paracrine signaling
a neurotransmitter made by one nerve cell that diffuses to a nearby cell and stimulates it
hormones
signals that travel through the circulatory systems of animals or the vascular systems of plants
crosstalk
interactions between different signal transduction pathways
what is an inhibitor (or antagonist)
molecule that can also bind to a receptor protein instead of the normal ligand
example of an inhibitor
caffeine - the nucleoside adenosine acts as a ligand that binds to a receptor on nerve cells, initialing a signal transduction pathway that reduces brain acitivity, but caffeine has a similar structure to adenosine and binds to the adenosine receptor, but doesn’t initial the signal transduction pathway, allowing continued nerve cell activity and arousal
2 types of receptors
cell surface/membrane receptors and intracellular receptors
example of need for a membrane receptor
insulin - protein hormone that cannot diffuse through membrane, so needs a transmembrane receptor with an extracellular binding domain
example of need for intracellular receptors
estrogen - small, lipid soluble steroid hormone that can diffuse across cell membrane so it binds to a receptor inside the cell
where are most plant light receptors located?
intracellular
3 main categories of plasma membrane receptors (eukaryotic)
ion channels, protein kinase receptors, and G protein linked receptors
ion channels
proteins that allow ions to enter/exit cell by responding to a specific signal such as sensory stimuli or chemical ligands
example of ion channel
acetyl choline receptor - gated ion channel - 2 molecules of Acetyl choline bind to receptor protein, it opens for 1000th of a second and allows Na+ to to move into the cell via simple diffusion and this change in concentration inside the cell initiates events that result in muscle contraction
protein kinase receptors
when activated they catalyze the phosphorylation of themselves/or other proteins, thus changing shape and therefore function
example of protein kinase receptor
insulin - a protein hormone - its receptor has 2 copies each of 2 different polypeptide subunits (alpha and beta) and when insulin binds to the receptor, the receptor becomes activivated and phosphorylates itself and insulin response substrates which initiates other cellular responses including insertion of glucose transporters into the plasma membrane
G protein linked receptors
seven transmembrane domain receptors; roles include photreceptors (light detection), olfactory detection (smell); and regulation of mood and behavior
example of g-protein receptors in action
oxytocin and vasopressin hormone binding which affect mating behavior in voles
common number of polypeptide subunits in G proteins
3