Cellular Signaling Concepts

The process where cells receive and respond to signals from other cells or their environment.

Chemical messengers like hormones or neurotransmitters, produced by one cell, that travel to communicate with others.

A specialized protein on a cell that recognizes and binds to a specific signal molecule.

A cell that has the correct receptor for a specific signal molecule, allowing it to receive and respond.

A general term for a molecule that can bind to another specific molecule, such as a receptor.

The chain of chemical messages inside a cell that relays from the binding of the signal molecule with a receptor to a specific response, such as gene activity or division.

Communication between cells, the process of sending chemical messages from one cell to another.

The specific action a cell takes in response to a signal.

A receptor protein located inside the cell, typically in the cytoplasm or nucleus.

A receptor protein embedded in the cell membrane.

Not attracted to water; repels water.

Hormone that uses intracellular receptors for signaling.

Process of creating RNA from DNA.

Process of converting one kind of signal into another.

A type of cell surface receptor that opens or closes a channel in response to a ligand.

A large family of cell surface receptors with a common structure and signaling method.

Parts of proteins that cross the cell membrane.

A channel inside a protein that is water-loving (attracts water).

Enzyme-linked receptors with intracellular domains that interact with an enzyme called tyrosine kinase.

Cell surface receptors with intracellular enzyme domains, Some directly act as enzymes, while others interact with enzymes.

A class of GPCRs that detect smells.

A type of protein that relays signals between G protein-coupled receptors and other target molecules inside the cell.

A cell signals to itself by releasing a ligand that binds to its own receptors. This can be on the cell surface or inside the cell.

A cell releases a signal that affects nearby cells. The ligand diffuses through the extracellular space and binds to receptors on neighboring cells.

Cells release hormones into the bloodstream, which carries them to target cells in distant parts of the body.

An enzyme that transfers phosphate groups to a protein or other target.

A hormone released by the pituitary gland that promotes growth, particularly of bones and cartilage.

Tiny channels connecting neighboring cells in animals that allow small signaling molecules to pass through.

A type of kinase that specifically adds phosphate groups to the amino acid tyrosine, often on receptor proteins.

Tiny channels connecting neighboring cells in plants that allow small signaling molecules to pass through.

Small signaling molecules that can diffuse through gap junctions or plasmodesmata.

The transfer of signaling molecules through gap junctions or plasmodesmata, transmitting the state of one cell to its neighbor.

Proteins that transport hydrophobic molecules, like steroid hormones, through the watery bloodstream.

A gas that acts as a signaling molecule, diffusing directly across the plasma membrane.

A signaling molecule that is polar or charged and cannot readily cross the plasma membrane.

A signaling molecule made up of amino acids, including growth factors, hormones like insulin, and some neurotransmitters.

Cells communicate by direct physical contact between their cell membranes, often involving specialized junctions.

A signaling molecule that forms a concentration gradient, triggering different developmental responses in cells depending on the signal strength.

A signaling molecule that acts as a morphogen, influencing the development of neurons in the spinal cord.

Shh influences the development of interneurons (connector neurons), motor neurons (connect to muscles), and other types of interneurons.

A gradual change in concentration of a substance over a distance.