- "Signal transduction is the process by which a chemical or physical signal is transmitted through a cell as a series of molecular events."
Process by which cells communicate with one another through the transmission of signaling molecules or cellular signals.
Receptors: Proteins that bind to ligand molecules and initiate a signaling cascade.
Ligands: Molecules that bind to receptors and trigger signaling.
Intracellular signaling pathways: The series of molecular events that occur inside a cell after activation of a receptor.
G protein-coupled receptors: A type of receptor that interacts with G proteins to initiate signaling.
Second messengers: Small molecules that act as intermediaries in intracellular signaling pathways, such as cAMP or IP3.
Protein kinases: Enzymes that add phosphate groups to other proteins, activating or deactivating them.
Protein phosphatases: Enzymes that remove phosphate groups from other proteins, inactivating or activating them.
Phosphorylation cascades: A sequence of events in which a series of protein kinases phosphorylate and activate each other, resulting in a large amplification of the signal.
Nuclear receptors: Receptors located in the nucleus that bind to ligands and influence gene expression.
Transcription factors: Proteins that bind to DNA and regulate gene expression.
JAK-STAT pathway: An intracellular signaling pathway activated by cytokine receptors.
Wnt pathway: A signaling pathway involved in development and cancer that regulates gene expression.
Notch pathway: A signaling pathway important in cell fate determination during development.
Hedgehog pathway: A signaling pathway involved in development that regulates gene expression.
MAP kinase pathway: An intracellular signaling pathway that regulates a variety of cellular processes.
NF-kB pathway: A signaling pathway involved in the immune response and inflammation.
Calcium signaling: A signaling pathway in which changes in intracellular calcium levels trigger a cellular response.
Cyclic nucleotide signaling: A signaling pathway in which cyclic nucleotides, such as cAMP and cGMP, act as second messengers.
Cross-talk between signaling pathways: The interactions between different signaling pathways in a cell, which can lead to complex cellular responses.
Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathway: RTKs are membrane-bound receptors that activate signaling cascades leading to cellular changes such as proliferation, differentiation, and migration.
G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) pathway: GPCRs are seven-transmembrane receptors that activate intracellular signaling pathways through the interaction with G-proteins. These pathways are involved in processes such as neurotransmission, vision, and sensory perception.
Wnt signaling pathway: Wnt signaling is involved in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and cell proliferation. This pathway relies on the interaction between Wnt ligands and Frizzled receptors, leading to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades.
Hedgehog signaling pathway: The Hedgehog pathway plays a critical role in embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. It involves the interaction between Hedgehog ligands and Patched receptors, leading to the activation of the transcription factor, Gli.
Notch signaling pathway: The Notch pathway controls many developmental processes, such as cell fate determination, differentiation, and apoptosis. It involves the interaction between Notch receptors and ligands, leading to the activation of the signaling cascade.
Nuclear hormone receptor pathway: Nuclear hormone receptors are a family of transcription factors that can be activated by binding to hormones, such as steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, and vitamin D. They regulate gene expression and play a vital role in developmental processes, such as organogenesis and differentiation.
Cytoskeletal signaling pathway: Cytoskeletal signaling pathways regulate cell movement and organization through the interaction between actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. These pathways are involved in processes such as cell motility, axon guidance, and morphogenesis.
Integrin signaling pathway: Integrins are transmembrane receptors that interact with extracellular matrix proteins, leading to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. These pathways are involved in processes such as cell adhesion, migration, and survival.
TGF-β signaling pathway: The TGF-β pathway plays a crucial role in regulating cellular processes, such as cell differentiation, apoptosis, and immune response. It involves the interaction between TGF-β ligands and receptors, leading to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades.
- "Most commonly, protein phosphorylation is catalyzed by protein kinases, ultimately resulting in a cellular response."
- "Proteins responsible for detecting stimuli are generally termed receptors, although in some cases, the term sensor is used."
- "The changes elicited by ligand binding (or signal sensing) in a receptor give rise to a biochemical cascade, which is a chain of biochemical events known as a signaling pathway."
- "When signaling pathways interact with one another, they form networks, which allow cellular responses to be coordinated, often by combinatorial signaling events."
- "At the molecular level, such responses include changes in the transcription or translation of genes, and post-translational and conformational changes in proteins, as well as changes in their location."
- "Signal transduction pathways regulate cell communication in a wide variety of ways."
- "Ligands are termed first messengers, while receptors are the signal transducers."
- "Receptors then activate primary effectors."
- "Second messengers, which can activate secondary effectors, and so on."
- "Depending on the efficiency of the nodes, a signal can be amplified (a concept known as signal gain), so that one signaling molecule can generate a response involving hundreds to millions of molecules."
- "The transduction of biological signals is characterized by delay, noise, signal feedback and feedforward, and interference, which can range from negligible to pathological."
- "With the advent of computational biology, the analysis of signaling pathways and networks has become an essential tool to understand cellular functions and disease."
- "These molecular events are the basic mechanisms controlling cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, and many other processes."
- "Each component (or node) of a signaling pathway is classified according to the role it plays with respect to the initial stimulus."
- "Changes in their location. These molecular events are the basic mechanisms controlling cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, and many other processes."
- "Changes in the transcription or translation of genes."
- "The changes elicited by ligand binding (or signal sensing) in a receptor give rise to a biochemical cascade."
- "Signaling rewiring mechanisms underlying responses to acquired drug resistance."
- "Networks [...] allow cellular responses to be coordinated, often by combinatorial signaling events."