Cell Signaling Diseases Project
Cell Signaling Diseases Project
INTRODUCTION
Communication between cells is important in order to ensure that all cells are
performing their required functions. Cell to cell communication usually takes the form of a
signal transduction pathway. You can think of such a pathway as a row of dominoes, all
standing on their ends. Push one domino over, and the rest fall, due their direct or indirect
association with the first one you pushed over.
Some signals that cells send only work over a short distance. For example, in the
brain, neurotransmitters allow one neuron to excite its neighbor. The signal travels no
further. Other signals, however, do travel a further distance. Hormones, for example, are
secreted by a source organ and travel to target cells, equipped with specialized receptors,
in remote regions of the body. Unfortunately, signal transduction might go awry. Because
there are so many players and so many steps in the process, it is easy to see how this might
happen. To complete this project you will need to
Review information about how problems in cell signaling can lead to diseases:
1. understand the methods of local and long distance signaling in animals.
2. explain the stages of a signal transduction pathway.
3. understand the role of extracellular molecules (or ligands) in signal transduction.
4. recognize the role of protein kinases, cyclic AMP or calcium ions (depending on
disease) in the regulation of cellular biochemical pathways.
5. describe what a cell does when it receives a signal (what kinds of cellular processes
are altered upon receipt of a signal)
Content - 40 points
Disease - basics only - cause and core symptoms
Cell signaling pathway involved
Correct mechanism
Incorrect mechanism
Graphics of pathway
Current direction of research
Disease Choices