Cell Communication

Front

What is a signal in cell communication?

Back

Anything that carries information between cells.

Front

How do cells communicate through gap junctions?

Back

A cell targets a cell connected by gap junctions.

Front

How can a signal trigger a specific chemical reaction in a target cell?

Back

By activating an enzyme in the cell membrane.

Front

What part of the signaling pathway involves protein modification, second messenger production, amplification, or a phosphorylation cascade?

Back

Transduction.

Front

What form of chemical signaling involves a cell targeting a nearby cell?

Back

Paracrine.

Front

What is the role of receptors in cell communication?

Back

Receptors bind to signaling molecules and initiate a response in the target cell.

Front

What is autocrine signaling?

Back

A form of signaling where a cell targets itself.

Front

What is endocrine signaling?

Back

A form of signaling where a cell targets distant cells through the bloodstream.

Front

What is the function of second messengers in cell signaling?

Back

They relay signals received at receptors on the cell surface to target molecules inside the cell.

Front

What is a phosphorylation cascade?

Back

A series of chemical reactions in which a protein is activated by the addition of a phosphate group.