AP Bio Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

Front

What type of macromolecule are receptor molecules?

Back

Receptor molecules are proteins.

Front

Which signaling molecule acts long-distance?

Back

Hormones are signaling molecules that act long-distance.

Front

What are gap junctions?

Back

Gap junctions are cell junctions in animal cells that allow for communication between adjacent cells.

Front

What is paracrine signaling?

Back

Paracrine signaling is when secretory cells release local regulators (e.g., growth factors) via exocytosis to an adjacent cell.

Front

True or False: Steroid hormones can passively diffuse across membranes.

Back

True, steroid hormones (non-polar/hydrophobic molecules) can passively diffuse across membranes.

Front

What is the role of signaling molecules?

Back

Signaling molecules transmit information between cells, facilitating communication and coordination of cellular activities.

Front

Define autocrine signaling.

Back

Autocrine signaling occurs when a cell secretes a signaling molecule that binds to receptors on its own surface, affecting its own behavior.

Front

What is the difference between endocrine and paracrine signaling?

Back

Endocrine signaling involves hormones traveling through the bloodstream to distant target cells, while paracrine signaling involves local regulators affecting nearby cells.

Front

What are neurotransmitters?

Back

Neurotransmitters are signaling molecules that transmit signals across synapses between neurons.

Front

What is the function of second messengers in cell signaling?

Back

Second messengers amplify the signal received by receptors and help propagate the signal within the cell.