Cell Communication and Junctions

Flashcards created to review key vocabulary terms related to cell communication and junctions.

Gap Junctions

A type of cell junction that allows for the exchange of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells.

Connexons

Subunits of gap junctions, made up of six connexins, which together form a channel for intercellular communication.

Pore Size

A key feature of connexons that restricts the passage of substances, permitting only small ions and molecules to pass through.

Membrane Nanotubes

Microscopic structures that connect cells and allow for the transfer of larger substances compared to gap junctions.

Mechanotransduction

The process by which cells convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals, leading to a cellular response.

Shearing Stress

Mechanical forces applied to cells, which can trigger biochemical responses and communications.

Paracrine Communication

A form of indirect cellular communication where signals act on nearby cells.

Autocrine Communication

Cell signaling where a cell responds to substances that it secretes by itself.

Hydrophilic Messengers

Water-loving chemical messengers that can be dissolved in plasma and act on cell surface receptors.

Hydrophobic Messengers

Lipid-soluble, water-fearing chemical messengers that can cross cell membranes without assistance.

Signal Amplification

The process by which a small signal receives a greater response within a biological pathway.

Target Specificity

The ability of a receptor to bind only to a specific hormone or messenger, initiating a biological response.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers released from nerve cells that traverse synaptic gaps to signal target cells.

Exocytosis

The process by which cells expel materials in vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane.

Second Messengers

Intracellular signaling molecules released in response to external signals, which help amplify and propagate the signal.

Atherosclerosis

A disease characterized by plaque buildup in arteries, often associated with issues in mechanotransduction.