AP Biology Unit 4 review

Front

What is signal transduction?

Back

The process by which a cell responds to external signals through a series of molecular events, leading to a cellular response.

Front

What are secondary messengers?

Back

Molecules that relay signals received at receptors on the cell surface to target molecules inside the cell, amplifying the signal.

Front

What is the role of ligands in cell signaling?

Back

Ligands are signaling molecules that bind to receptors on target cells, initiating a response.

Front

What occurs during the phosphorylation cascade?

Back

A series of chemical reactions in which enzymes add phosphate groups to proteins, often amplifying the signal in a signaling pathway.

Front

What is apoptosis?

Back

The process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.

Front

What is interphase?

Back

The phase of the cell cycle where the cell prepares for division, including G1, S, and G2 phases.

Front

What happens during cytokinesis?

Back

The division of the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells after mitosis.

Front

What is the G0 phase?

Back

A resting phase where the cell is not actively preparing to divide and may exit the cell cycle.

Front

What is gene expression?

Back

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, usually a protein.

Front

What is the significance of receptor shape change upon ligand binding?

Back

The change in shape of the receptor activates the receptor, allowing it to initiate a signal transduction pathway.