Cell to Cell Communication.pptVIP

Cell to Cell Communication AP Biology Mrs. Ogden Chapter 11 Introduction Cell-to-cell communication is absolutely essential for multicellular organisms and is also important for many unicellular organisms. Cells must communicate to coordinate their activities. Biologists have discovered some universal mechanisms of cellular regulation, involving the same small set of cell-signaling mechanisms. Cells may receive a variety of signals, chemical signals, electromagnetic signals, and mechanical signals. Signal-transduction pathway: The process by which a signal on a cell’s surface is converted into a specific cellular response. Talking to cells, both near and far… Multicellular organisms can also release signaling molecules that target other cells. Some transmitting cells release local regulators that influence cells in the local vicinity. In synaptic signaling, a nerve cell produces a neurotransmitter that diffuses to a single cell that is almost touching the sender. Plants and animals use hormones to signal at greater distances. Cells may communicate by direct contact. How do Cells Communicate? The process must involve three stages. In reception, a chemical signal binds to a cellular protein, typically at the cell’s surface. In transduction, binding leads to a change in the receptor that triggers a series of changes along a signal-transduction pathway. In response, the transduced signal triggers a specific cellular activity. Signal molecules and Receptor Proteins A cell targeted by a particular chemical signal has a receptor protein that recognizes the signal molecule. Recognition occurs when the signal binds to a specific site on the receptor because it is complementary in shape. When ligands small molecules that bind specifically to a larger molecule attach to the receptor protein, the receptor typically undergoes a change in shape. This may activate the receptor so that it can interact with other molecules. For other receptors this leads to the collect