BIOC 3560 Study Guide - Final Guide: Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel, Guanylyl Cyclase, Electrochemical Gradient
7 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
The presence of certain stimuli (generally molecules) in their environment elicits specific responses from receptive cells. The presence of these molecules effectively represents information. These molecules act as signals that are detected by specific receptors. Signals are converted to a cellular response which always involves a chemical process. Properties: signal-transducing systems generally, are very specific b. Amplify the initial signal: signalling is mediated by modular components with (partly) interchangeable parts, show desensitization and adaptation to a persistent signal, have mechanisms to integrate conflicting signals. Once activated, enzyme cascades amplify the signal: amplification. Amplification: when enzymes activate enzymes, the number of affected molecules increases geometrically in an enzyme cascade: amplification of several orders of magnitude within milliseconds = fast and potent response, modularity. Modularity: proteins with multivalent affinities form diverse signalling complexes from interchangeable parts. Phosphorylation provides reversible points of interaction: desensitization/adaptation. Signalling: types of signal transducers: g protein-coupled receptor.
