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5 Cell Signalling

1. Cell signaling allows communication between cells through signaling molecules and receptors, and is required for basic cell functions. 2. Signal transduction involves signaling molecules binding to receptors on target cells, which activates intracellular responses through second messengers. 3. Second messengers are small molecules that relay signals from receptors to effector proteins and amplify the signal within cells.

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60 views

5 Cell Signalling

1. Cell signaling allows communication between cells through signaling molecules and receptors, and is required for basic cell functions. 2. Signal transduction involves signaling molecules binding to receptors on target cells, which activates intracellular responses through second messengers. 3. Second messengers are small molecules that relay signals from receptors to effector proteins and amplify the signal within cells.

Uploaded by

harshit khare
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 5

NERVOUS SYSTEM, IMMUNE SYSTEM AND


CELL SIGNALLING
CELL SIGNALLING
THE CELLULAR COMMUNICATION

• Cell-to-cell communication is essential for


multicellular organisms
• Cells that produce the signaling molecule
are referred to as signaling cells.
• Cells that receive the signal are target cells
• Communication is required for
homeostasis, metabolism cell division,
protein synthesis and many other biological
functions
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

• Signaling molecules - proteins, small peptides, amino acids, nucleotides, steroids, fatty acid derivatives,
nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, etc.

• The signaling molecule could either be secreted from the signaling cell or it could stay tightly bound to
the cell surface of the signaling cell
MODE OF MEDIATING CELLULAR COOMUNICATION
T TYPES OF RECEPTORS

Regardless of the nature of the signal, the target cell responds by means of a receptor
protein, which specifically binds the signal molecule and initiates a response
TYPES OF CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS
TYPES OF CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS
TYPES OF SIGNALING

4. Endocrine
TYPES OF SIGNALING
Contact based Cell Signaling
Plasma membranes
Gap junctions
between animal cells

Cell junctions Plasmodesmata


between plant cells

Cell-cell recognition
Short-distance signaling Long-distance signaling
INTRACELLULAR SIGNALLING
Hormone EXTRACELLULAR
(testosterone) FLUID The steroid
hormone testosterone
passes through the
plasma membrane.

Plasma
membrane Testosterone binds
Receptor to a receptor protein
protein in the cytoplasm,
Hormone- activating it.
receptor
complex

The hormone-
receptor complex
enters the nucleus
and binds to specific
genes.
DNA

mRNA The bound protein


stimulates the
transcription of
the gene into mRNA.
NUCLEUS New protein

The mRNA is
translated into a
specific protein.
CYTOPLASM
Small Molecules and Ions as Second Messengers
• Second messengers are small molecules and ions that relay signals received by cell-
surface receptors to effector proteins.
• They include a wide variety of chemical species and have diverse properties that
allow them to signal within membranes (e.g., hydrophobic molecules such as lipids
and lipid derivatives), within the cytosol (e.g., polar molecules such as nucleotides
and ions), or between the two (e.g., gases and free radicals).
• Second messengers are typically present at low concentrations in resting cells and
can be rapidly produced or released when cells are stimulated.
• The levels of second messengers are exquisitely controlled temporally and spatially,
and, during signaling, enzymatic reactions or opening of ion channels ensure that
they are highly amplified.
• These messengers then diffuse rapidly from the source and bind to target proteins
to alter their properties (activity, localization, stability, etc.) to propagate signaling.
First messenger
(signal molecule
such as epinephrine)
Adenylyl
G protein cyclase

G-protein-linked GTP
receptor

ATP
Second
cAMP messenger

Protein
kinase A

Cellular responses
QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the importance of signal transduction.
2. What is intracellular signaling? Describe the process of intracellular
signal transduction with the help of a diagram.
3. What are secondary messengers and how do they help in signal
transduction?
4. Discuss the different types of cell signaling with the help of
schematic diagrams.

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