Signal Transduction & Cell Communication

Front

What is signal transduction?

Back

The process by which a cell converts an external signal into a functional response, involving reception, transduction, and response.

Front

What are the three main stages of cell communication?

Back

Reception, transduction, and response.

Front

What type of signaling involves a cell communicating with itself?

Back

Autocrine signaling.

Front

What type of signaling involves a cell communicating with nearby cells?

Back

Paracrine signaling.

Front

What type of signaling involves hormones traveling through the bloodstream to distant cells?

Back

Endocrine signaling.

Front

What is apoptosis?

Back

Programmed cell death, a process that eliminates unnecessary or damaged cells.

Front

What is a second messenger?

Back

A molecule that relays signals received at receptors on the cell surface to target molecules inside the cell.

Front

What is the role of receptors in cell communication?

Back

Receptors are proteins that bind to signaling molecules (ligands) and initiate a cellular response.

Front

What is negative feedback in biological systems?

Back

A regulatory mechanism in which a change in a variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change.

Front

What is positive feedback in biological systems?

Back

A regulatory mechanism in which a change in a variable triggers a response that enhances the initial change.