Lecture 9:Cell Communication Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards related to cell communication, based on a lecture transcript.

Cell Communication

Process by which cells interact and transmit signals, essential for coordinating activities in both single-celled and multicellular organisms.

Chemical Messengers

Molecules, such as hormones or neurotransmitters, that transmit signals between cells, triggering specific responses.

Growth Hormone

A signaling molecule that promotes cell division and growth, important for tissue repair and development.

Gap Junctions

Channels in animal cells that allow direct communication between adjacent cells by facilitating the passage of small molecules and ions.

Plasmodesmata

Channels in plant cells that enable direct communication between adjacent cells, similar to gap junctions in animal cells.

Local Signaling

Cell communication over short distances, involving the release of chemical signals that affect nearby target cells.

Paracrine Signaling

A type of local signaling where a cell releases chemical signals that act on nearby target cells.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical signals released by nerve cells at synapses to transmit electrical impulses to target cells.

Synaptic Signaling

A specialized type of local signaling that occurs in the nervous system, where neurotransmitters transmit signals across synapses.

Hormones

Chemical messengers secreted by endocrine cells into the bloodstream to reach target cells throughout the body.

Receptor

A protein on or in a cell that binds to a specific signaling molecule, triggering a cellular response.

Reception

The first stage of cell signaling, where a signaling molecule binds to a specific receptor on the target cell.

Transduction

The second stage of cell signaling, where the signal is converted into a form that can bring about a cellular response.

Cellular Response

The final stage of cell signaling, where the transduced signal triggers a specific cellular activity, such as enzyme activation or gene expression.

Ligand

A molecule that binds to a receptor, triggering a change in the receptor molecule, often used interchangeably with signaling molecule.

Signal Transduction Pathway

A series of steps that alters and amplifies a signal, converting it into a form that can bring about a cellular response.

Relay Molecules

Molecules in a signal transduction pathway that pass the message from the receptor to the cellular response.

Protein Kinase

An enzyme that adds a phosphate group to another protein, often activating it in the process.

Phosphorylation Cascade

A series of protein kinases activating each other by adding phosphate groups, amplifying the initial signal.

Signal Amplification

The process by which a small signal is magnified to produce a large cellular response, often through a cascade of events.

Transcription Factor

A protein that binds to DNA and regulates gene expression, controlling which genes are switched on or off.

Hormone Receptor Complex

The combination of a hormone and its specific receptor protein, which can then move into the nucleus and influence gene expression.