Cell Signaling Pathways

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lectures on cell signaling pathways.

Ion Channel Receptors

Receptors that act as ion channels, opening upon ligand binding to allow ion flow down their electrical gradient.

Enzyme-Coupled Receptors

Receptors that have enzymatic activity either built into them or associated with them, often involving a tyrosine kinase.

G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)

Multipass transmembrane receptors that activate G proteins upon ligand binding, impacting downstream signaling.

Second Messengers

Small molecules generated in response to receptor activation that amplify and distribute signals within the cell.

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)

A signaling pathway involving a cascade of kinases, typically activated by growth factors and involved in cell proliferation.

Protein Kinase A (PKA)

An enzyme that is activated by cyclic AMP and phosphorylates downstream targets, including transcription factors.

Scaffold Proteins

Proteins that organize signaling complexes by binding multiple signaling molecules, facilitating signaling cascades.

SH2 Domain

A protein interaction domain that binds specifically to phosphorylated tyrosines.

Phospholipase C

An enzyme activated by G proteins that cleaves phospholipids to produce inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) as second messengers.

Calcium Signaling

Cellular signaling that involves calcium ions as a second messenger, affecting various cellular processes such as contraction and secretion.