Overview of Cell Communication
Communication in cells is common in nature. Cell signaling occurs in all multicellular organisms, providing a necessary mechanism for cells to influence one another. Effective signaling requires a signaling molecule, called a ligand, and a molecule to which the signal binds, called a receptor protein. The interaction of these two components initiates the process of signal transduction, which converts theinformation in the signal into a cellular response.
Any cell of a multicellular organism is exposed to a constant stream of signals. At anytime, hundreds of different chemical signals may be present in the environment surrounding the cell. Each cell responds only to certain signals, however, and ignores the rest.
How does a cell "choose" which signals to respond to?
The number and kind of recptor molecules determine this. When a ligand approaches a receptor proteinthat has a complementary shape, the two can bind, forming a complex. This binding induces a change in the receptor proteins shape, ultimately producing a response in the cell via a signal transduction pathway. In this way, a given cell responds tothe signaling molecules that fit the particular set of receptor proteins it possesses and ignores those for which it lacks receptors.
Extra Help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6uHotlXvPo
Any cell of a multicellular organism is exposed to a constant stream of signals. At anytime, hundreds of different chemical signals may be present in the environment surrounding the cell. Each cell responds only to certain signals, however, and ignores the rest.
How does a cell "choose" which signals to respond to?
The number and kind of recptor molecules determine this. When a ligand approaches a receptor proteinthat has a complementary shape, the two can bind, forming a complex. This binding induces a change in the receptor proteins shape, ultimately producing a response in the cell via a signal transduction pathway. In this way, a given cell responds tothe signaling molecules that fit the particular set of receptor proteins it possesses and ignores those for which it lacks receptors.
Extra Help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6uHotlXvPo