AP Biology Cell Communication

Name_______________________ Period___________

Chapter 5.6: Cell Communication

Cell communication is normally not covered in standard high school biology books, yet perhaps no
other section of biology has grown as much as cell signaling has in the last ten years. Take your time
with this section, and you will be rewarded with a knowledge base that will be most helpful in this
course and courses to come.

External signals are converted into responses within the cell

1. What is a signal transduction pathway?

2. How does yeast mating serve as an example of a signal transduction pathway?

3. Complete the chart of local chemical signaling in cell communication in animals.

Local Signaling Types Specific Example

Paracrine

Synaptic

4. How does a hormone qualify as a long-distance signaling example?

5. A signal transduction pathway has three stages. Use Figure 11.6 to label the missing parts of
the preview figure below, and then explain each step.

Reception

Transduction

Response

Reception: A signal molecule binds to a receptor protein, causing it to change shape

6. Explain the term ligand. (This term is not restricted to cell signaling. You will see it in other
situations during the year.)

7. The text will explain three major types of membrane receptors in Figure 11.7. This material is
of fundamental importance, so we will work thorough the specific figures for each type of
membrane receptor. The first example is a G protein-linked receptor. In the first figure, label
the components and then describe the role of the three components.
8. Label and then describe what happens in step 2.

9. Label then describe what happens in step 3. (The yellow box at the bottom right is important!)

10. Equally important to starting a signal is stopping a signal. Step 4 stops the signal. (Failure to do so
can lead to serious problems, like cancer.) Label and then describe how the signal is halted.

11. What activates a G protein?

12. A G protein is also a GTPase enzyme. Why is this important?

13. The second type of receptor described is receptor tyrosine kinase. Explain what a kinase
enzyme does.
14. How does tyrosine kinase function in the membrane receptor?

15. What is a key difference between receptor tyrosine kinases and G protein-coupled receptors?

16. Provide all of the missing labels on the diagram; then explain what happens in step 1.

17. Label step 2 and then describe what happens to receptors tyrosine kinases when signaling
molecules have attached.

18. Label and explain how the receptors are activated in step 3.
19. Use step 4 to explain how the activated receptor can stimulate multiple cellular
response pathways.

20. Each activated protein in the figure above triggers a signal _________________ pathway
leading to a ______________ response.

21. Moving to ion channel receptors, the example in Figure 11.7 shows the flow of ions into the
cell. Ion channel receptors can also stop the flow of ions. These comparatively simple
membrane receptors are explained in three steps. In the first step, label the diagram and then
explain the role of the labeled molecules.

22. Label the diagram and then explain what has happened with the binding of the ligand to
the receptor.
23. The ligand attachment to the receptor is brief. Label and explain what happens as the ligand
dissociates.

24. In what body system are ligand-gated ion channels and voltage-gated ion channels of
particular importance?

25. Intracellular receptors are found in the __________ or ____________ of the cell, where they
bond to chemical messengers that are ________________ or very small, like nitric oxide.

26. This diagram uses testosterone, a hydrophobic hormone, to detail how intracellular receptors
work. At each arrow, add an explanation of what is happening in the cell.
27. An important idea, transcription factors, is introduced in Figure 5.26. Explain the function
of transcription factors in the cell.

Transduction: Cascades of molecular interactions relay signals from receptors to target

molecules in the cell

28. What are two benefits of multistep pathways like the one in Figure 5.23?

29. Explain the role of these two categories of enzymes in transduction.

Protein kinase

Protein phosphatases

30. Using Figure below as your guide, explain what is occurring in the cell at each arrow.
31. What is the difference between a first messenger and a second messenger?

2+)
32. Two common second messengers are cyclic AMP (cAMP) and calcium ions (Ca . Explain
the role of the second messenger cAMP in Figure 5.25 from the text.

33. What is the important relationship between the second messenger and protein kinase A?

34. Figure 5.25 explains how to initiate a cellular response; how might that response be inhibited?

35. Using your new knowledge of cell signaling and view “Cholera Toxin Mode of Action”, explain
the mechanism of disease in cholera.

Response: Cell signaling leads to regulation of transcription or cytoplasmic activities

38. When cell signaling causes a response in the nucleus, what normally happens?

39. When cell signaling causes a response in the cytoplasm, what normally happens?