Bio college board slides 4.1-4.5

What are the modes of cellular communication?

Cells communicate by generating, transmitting, receiving, and responding to chemical signals, either by direct contact or via chemical signaling.

What role do plasmodesmata play in plant cells?

Plasmodesmata allow material to be transported from cell to cell.

What are local regulators in cellular communication?

Local regulators are signals that target cells in the vicinity of the signal-emitting cell, facilitating short-distance communication.

What are neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemical signals used for communication in the nervous system.

What is a ligand?

A ligand is a chemical messenger that binds to a specific receptor protein on a target cell.

What is a G protein coupled receptor?

G protein coupled receptors are a type of receptor protein in eukaryotes involved in signal transduction.

What is the role of second messengers?

Second messengers, such as cAMP, relay and amplify the intracellular signal after ligand binding.

What is quorum sensing?

Quorum sensing is the use of chemical messengers by microbes to communicate with nearby cells and regulate pathways based on population density.

What is negative feedback in biological systems?

Negative feedback maintains homeostasis by regulating physiological processes to return a system to its target set point.

What is the effect of the SRY gene?

The SRY gene triggers the male sexual development pathway in animals.

What is the outcome of changes in signal transduction pathways?

Changes in signal transduction pathways can alter cellular responses and potentially lead to mutations affecting signaling components.

What is apoptosis?

Apoptosis is programmed cell death that can be induced by signal transduction pathways.

What are positive feedback mechanisms?

Positive feedback mechanisms amplify responses in biological organisms, moving the variable further away from the initial set point.