Chemical Signalling: Interaction and Interdependence

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to chemical signalling, crucial for understanding cellular communication processes in animal and bacterial systems.

Receptor Proteins

Proteins with binding sites for specific signalling chemicals.

Quorum Sensing

A form of cell-to-cell communication in bacteria that regulates behavior according to population density.

Ligand

A signaling chemical that binds to a specific receptor protein.

Hormones

Chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands into the bloodstream.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers released by neurons into synapses for communication.

Cytokines

Chemical messengers involved in the immune response through cell communication.

Calcium Ions

Act as secondary messengers within cells affecting various cellular processes.

Positive Feedback

A response that amplifies a detected change, promoting increased change.

Negative Feedback

A response that reverses a detected change to restore homeostasis.

Transmembrane Receptors

Integral proteins involved in binding signalling molecules at the membrane surface.

Intracellular Receptors

Receptors located in the cytoplasm or nucleus that bind signalling chemicals that can diffuse through the membrane.

Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

A hormone that binds to GPCRs, activating a cascade of metabolic responses.

Tyrosine Kinase Receptors

Transmembrane receptors that activate kinases to catalyze phosphorylation events.

Dimer

A complex formed by two receptor proteins that trigger activity upon ligand binding.

Bioluminescence

The emission of light by living organisms, often linked to quorum sensing in bacteria.

G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)

A large family of receptors that activate G proteins upon ligand binding.

Secondary Messenger

Intracellular messengers that relay signals from receptors to target molecules inside the cell.

Phosphorylation

The addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, often a key step in signal transduction.

Hydrophilic

A property describing molecules that interact well with water.

Hydrophobic

A property indicating molecules that do not interact well with water.