4.1 Cell Communication
3 min read•december 28, 2022
Annika Tekumulla
Haseung Jun
Annika Tekumulla
Haseung Jun
The cells in your body communicate in many different ways. Cells must communicate with each other and the environment in order to complete tasks. They communicate through chemical signals. These signals are usually proteins. Multicellular organisms have trillions of cells that communicate in the following ways.
Juxtacrine Signaling
Direct contact is also called . Direct contact occurs when the 2 cells are adjacent to another and occur in both plant and animal cells. In plant cells, the connect one plant cell to another. In animal cells, directly connect the cytoplasm of one animal cell to the cytoplasm of another animal cell. These junctions allow the passage of materials such as ions, signals, and molecules.
Memory Tip: Think of direct contact like a handshake because both people must have direct contact with each other during a handshake!
Image courtesy of Giphy.
Paracrine Signaling
Another way that cells communicate is through .
is communication over short distances. Cell sends out signals to nearby cells which causes a change in the behavior of nearby cells. An example of is contracting muscles. Chemical signals are sent from the nerve to the muscle. This causes the response of changes in the behavior of muscle so that the muscle contracts. Another example would be involves a synapse which is the gap between 2 nerve cells. Signaling occurs when a neuron releases a . Then, the moves across the synapse. After it reaches the end of the gap, the stimulates the adjacent neuron to fire.
Memory Tip: Think of as crossing the street. Crossing the street is a short distance and helps me remember that is between nearby cells. Takes the “right down the street” phrase into a new perspective!
Image courtesy of Giphy.
Autocrine Signaling
is essentially a cell sending chemical messages to itself. It would involve the cell releasing a chemical and then having a receptor that receives this message. An example of this would be . release their own so that they can keep on growing, instead of relying on from the host organism. In this way, the can keep growing faster and more efficiently.
Memory Tip: "Auto" means self, so must be signaling to yourself. Think of other words that involve the root "auto" like autopilot.
Endocrine Signaling
Here, we have , which is signaling another cell by sending the through the bloodstream, perhaps to a different organ cell. This is different from because that only involved sending it off to a cell nearby. is like sending a something to a different country. It's much more far away, so the is also equipped to have a longer lifespan. An example of this would be the releasing when blood sugar levels are too high. This is then received by the and is converted to as a response.
Memory Tip: Think of this as sending a letter or package to a different country so your letter or package must travel by water to reach its destination.
Key Terms to Review (16)
Autocrine Signaling
: Autocrine signaling is a form of cell communication in which a cell produces and releases signals that bind to receptors on its own surface, leading to changes within the same cell.Cancer Cells
: Cancer cells are abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue.Endocrine Signaling
: Endocrine signaling refers to the process where endocrine cells release hormones directly into the bloodstream. These hormones then travel to target cells located in different parts of the body.Gap Junctions
: Gap junctions are specialized intercellular connections between certain animal cell-types that directly connect the cytoplasm of two cells, allowing various molecules, ions and electrical impulses to pass freely between cells.Glucose
: Glucose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that serves as the main source of energy for cells in living organisms.Glycogen
: Glycogen is a polysaccharide that serves as the primary form of energy storage in animals and fungi. It's similar to starch but has more extensive branching.Growth Hormones
: Growth hormones are substances produced by our bodies that regulate growth, metabolism, and body composition.Insulin
: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. It allows cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream and use it as energy.Juxtacrine Signaling
: Juxtacrine signaling is a type of cell communication that involves direct contact between the signaling and responding cells. This means that the cells must be touching each other for the signal to be passed.Ligand
: A ligand is a molecule that binds to another (usually larger) molecule. In cell communication, it's often the signal molecule that binds to a receptor.Liver Cell
: Liver cells, also known as hepatocytes, are responsible for protein synthesis, detoxification and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion among other functions.Neurotransmitter
: A neurotransmitter is a chemical substance produced in the body that transmits nerve impulses across synapses between neurons.Pancreas Cells
: Pancreas cells are specialized types of cells found in pancreas which produce important enzymes and hormones like insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels.Paracrine Signaling
: Paracrine signaling is a type of cell communication where a cell produces a signal to induce changes in nearby cells, altering the behavior or differentiation of those cells.Plasmodesmata
: Plasmodesmata are microscopic channels traversing the cell walls of plant cells and some algal cells, enabling transport and communication between them.Synaptic Signaling
: Synaptic signaling is an interaction between two nerve cells where an electrical signal or neurotransmitter molecule released from one neuron will stimulate another neuron, allowing for rapid transmission of information across synapses.4.1 Cell Communication
3 min read•december 28, 2022
Annika Tekumulla
Haseung Jun
Annika Tekumulla
Haseung Jun
The cells in your body communicate in many different ways. Cells must communicate with each other and the environment in order to complete tasks. They communicate through chemical signals. These signals are usually proteins. Multicellular organisms have trillions of cells that communicate in the following ways.
Juxtacrine Signaling
Direct contact is also called . Direct contact occurs when the 2 cells are adjacent to another and occur in both plant and animal cells. In plant cells, the connect one plant cell to another. In animal cells, directly connect the cytoplasm of one animal cell to the cytoplasm of another animal cell. These junctions allow the passage of materials such as ions, signals, and molecules.
Memory Tip: Think of direct contact like a handshake because both people must have direct contact with each other during a handshake!
Image courtesy of Giphy.
Paracrine Signaling
Another way that cells communicate is through .
is communication over short distances. Cell sends out signals to nearby cells which causes a change in the behavior of nearby cells. An example of is contracting muscles. Chemical signals are sent from the nerve to the muscle. This causes the response of changes in the behavior of muscle so that the muscle contracts. Another example would be involves a synapse which is the gap between 2 nerve cells. Signaling occurs when a neuron releases a . Then, the moves across the synapse. After it reaches the end of the gap, the stimulates the adjacent neuron to fire.
Memory Tip: Think of as crossing the street. Crossing the street is a short distance and helps me remember that is between nearby cells. Takes the “right down the street” phrase into a new perspective!
Image courtesy of Giphy.
Autocrine Signaling
is essentially a cell sending chemical messages to itself. It would involve the cell releasing a chemical and then having a receptor that receives this message. An example of this would be . release their own so that they can keep on growing, instead of relying on from the host organism. In this way, the can keep growing faster and more efficiently.
Memory Tip: "Auto" means self, so must be signaling to yourself. Think of other words that involve the root "auto" like autopilot.
Endocrine Signaling
Here, we have , which is signaling another cell by sending the through the bloodstream, perhaps to a different organ cell. This is different from because that only involved sending it off to a cell nearby. is like sending a something to a different country. It's much more far away, so the is also equipped to have a longer lifespan. An example of this would be the releasing when blood sugar levels are too high. This is then received by the and is converted to as a response.
Memory Tip: Think of this as sending a letter or package to a different country so your letter or package must travel by water to reach its destination.
Key Terms to Review (16)
Autocrine Signaling
: Autocrine signaling is a form of cell communication in which a cell produces and releases signals that bind to receptors on its own surface, leading to changes within the same cell.Cancer Cells
: Cancer cells are abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue.Endocrine Signaling
: Endocrine signaling refers to the process where endocrine cells release hormones directly into the bloodstream. These hormones then travel to target cells located in different parts of the body.Gap Junctions
: Gap junctions are specialized intercellular connections between certain animal cell-types that directly connect the cytoplasm of two cells, allowing various molecules, ions and electrical impulses to pass freely between cells.Glucose
: Glucose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that serves as the main source of energy for cells in living organisms.Glycogen
: Glycogen is a polysaccharide that serves as the primary form of energy storage in animals and fungi. It's similar to starch but has more extensive branching.Growth Hormones
: Growth hormones are substances produced by our bodies that regulate growth, metabolism, and body composition.Insulin
: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. It allows cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream and use it as energy.Juxtacrine Signaling
: Juxtacrine signaling is a type of cell communication that involves direct contact between the signaling and responding cells. This means that the cells must be touching each other for the signal to be passed.Ligand
: A ligand is a molecule that binds to another (usually larger) molecule. In cell communication, it's often the signal molecule that binds to a receptor.Liver Cell
: Liver cells, also known as hepatocytes, are responsible for protein synthesis, detoxification and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion among other functions.Neurotransmitter
: A neurotransmitter is a chemical substance produced in the body that transmits nerve impulses across synapses between neurons.Pancreas Cells
: Pancreas cells are specialized types of cells found in pancreas which produce important enzymes and hormones like insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels.Paracrine Signaling
: Paracrine signaling is a type of cell communication where a cell produces a signal to induce changes in nearby cells, altering the behavior or differentiation of those cells.Plasmodesmata
: Plasmodesmata are microscopic channels traversing the cell walls of plant cells and some algal cells, enabling transport and communication between them.Synaptic Signaling
: Synaptic signaling is an interaction between two nerve cells where an electrical signal or neurotransmitter molecule released from one neuron will stimulate another neuron, allowing for rapid transmission of information across synapses.
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