Cell Communication & Cell Cycle

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to cell communication and the cell cycle.

Cell Membrane

The structure that surrounds and protects the cell, controlling the movement of substances in and out.

Interleukin

A type of signaling molecule that can activate an immune response.

Caspase-1

An enzyme that plays a key role in the process of inflammation and apoptosis by activating interleukins.

Gasdermin

A family of proteins that form pores in cell membranes during cell death.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death, a process that eliminates damaged or unnecessary cells.

G Protein-Coupled Receptor

A large family of cell surface receptors that respond to various external signals.

Signaling Cascade

A series of molecular events triggered by a receptor that lead to a cellular response.

Phosphorylation Cascade

A series of chemical reactions in a cell where one enzyme phosphorylates another, resulting in a chain reaction.

Ligand

A signaling molecule that binds to a receptor to trigger a response.

Adenylyl Cyclase

An enzyme that converts ATP to cyclic AMP, a secondary messenger.

Cyclic AMP (cAMP)

A secondary messenger involved in the transduction of signals from the cell membrane to the cell's interior.

Toxin

A poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms.

Hypertonic

A solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to another, often leading to movement of water.

Cytokinesis

The physical process that divides the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells after mitosis.

G1 Phase

The first gap phase in the cell cycle where the cell grows and checks for DNA integrity.

G2 Phase

The second gap phase where the cell continues to grow and prepares for division.

M Phase

The phase of the cell cycle where mitosis occurs, resulting in cell division.

Mitosis

A process where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

Cyclin

A protein that regulates the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks).

Cdk (Cyclin-dependent Kinase)

Enzymes that, when activated by cyclins, regulate progression through the cell cycle.

Cohesin

A protein complex that holds sister chromatids together until they are separated during cell division.

Checkpoints

Control mechanisms in the cell cycle that ensure proper division and function.