AP Biology Unit 3.4 - Cell Communication Flashcards

8737922898	Cell Communication	Process through which cells can detect and respond to signals in their environment.	0
8737922899	Juxtacrine Interaction	Type of cell signaling in which cells are in direct contact with one another.	1
8737922900	Gap Junctions	Type of juxtacrine interaction in animals where membrane channels of adjacent plasma membranes adhere to each other and allow materials to pass directly from cell to cell.	2
8737922901	Intercalated Discs	Specialized connections between cardiac muscle cells that contain gap junctions; allow ions to pass directly from cell to cell to synchronize contraction.	3
8737922902	Plasmodesmata	Channels through cell walls that connect the cytoplasms of adjacent plant cells; type of juxtacrine interaction.	4
8737922903	Paracrine Interaction	Cellular signaling in which secreted signaling molecules act on other nearby cells.	5
8737922904	Paracrine Factor	Signaling molecule (= chemical messenger) secreted by one cell that travels short distances to other cells.	6
8737922905	Neuromuscular Junction	Point of contact between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle cell.	7
8737922906	Neurotransmitter	Chemical messengers that cross the synapse between neurons and target cells; examples include acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine.	8
8737922907	Acetylcholine	A neurotransmitter that triggers skeletal muscle contraction	9
8737922908	Axon Terminal	The terminal end of a neuron where neurotransmitters are stored and released into a synapse.	10
8737922909	Voltage Gated Channel	Cell membrane ion channels opened or closed by changes in electrical charge across a membrane.	11
8737922910	Ligand Gated Channel	Membrane ion channels operated by the binding of specific molecules to channel proteins.	12
8737922911	Acetylcholinesterase	An enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.	13
8737922912	Botulinum Toxin	Toxin that paralyzes muscles by inhibiting ACh release from axon terminals; derived from a bacterium that causes food poisoning.	14
8737922913	Latrotoxin	Black widow spider venom; initially enhances release of ACh from nerve terminals causing sustained muscle contractions.	15
8737922914	Cobra Venom	Toxin that blocks acetylcholine receptors on muscle fiber membrane; thus paralyzing muscles.	16
8737922915	Sarin	Organophosphate nerve gas that inhibits acetylcholinesterase; causes sustained, tetanic contractions of muscles by preventing removal of ACh from the synapse.	17
8737922916	Endocrine Interaction	Type of cell signaling in which hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream; can signal over long distances.	18
8737922917	Endocrine Factor	Another name for hormones; signaling molecule in endocrine interactions.	19
8737922918	Hormone	Chemicals produced by your glands that regulate the activities of different body cells.	20
8737922919	Adrenalin/Epinephrine	A hormone released by the body in times of stress (Fight or flight); causes increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, breakdown of glycogen into glucose, etc.	21
8737922920	Inducer	Cell that produces an inductive signal that causes a response in another cell.	22
8737922921	Responder	Cell that is induced to respond to a particular signal.	23
8737922922	Induction	Process in which one cell induces a specific response from another cell.	24
8737922923	Competence	The ability of a cell to respond to an inductive signal from another cell.	25
8737922924	Transcription Factor	A regulatory protein that binds to DNA and affects transcription of specific genes.	26
8737922925	Signal Transduction	Process in which a signal on a cell's surface is converted to a specific cellular response in a series of steps.	27
8737922926	Ligand	A molecule that binds specifically to a receptor protein on another cell's membrane.	28
8737922927	Reception	The target cell's detection of a signal molecule coming from outside the cell; typically involves binding of a ligand to a receptor protein.	29
8737922928	Transduction	Series of steps by which reception of a signal from another cell is converted into a response in a target cell.	30
8737922929	Protein Kinase	An enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from ATP to a protein, thus phosphorylating the protein; typically activates inactive proteins.	31
8737922930	Phosphorylation	The addition of a phosphate group to a molecule	32
8737922931	Phosphatase	An enzyme that catalyzes the removal of a phosphate group from a protein.	33
8737922932	Secondary Messenger	Non-protein messenger that may be present in a signal transduction cascade; examples include cAMP and calcium ions.	34
8737922933	Cyclic AMP (cAMP)	Along with calcium ions, this is one of the most widely used second messengers in transduction cascades.	35
8737922934	Transcription	Process whereby the DNA sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA.	36
8737922935	G-Protein Linked Receptor	Membrane receptor that can add GTP to G-Proteins, thereby activating them.	37
8737922936	G-Protein	An intracellular protein that binds GTP and GDP and participates in intracellular signaling pathways.	38
8737922937	Sonic Hedgehog	Signaling molecule that inhibits Pax 6 in the center of the developing face, thereby causing two eyes to form; inactivation causes cyclopia.	39
8737922938	Pax6	Signaling molecule that is involved in initiating eye development; inhibited by sonic hedgehog in the center of the developing face; mutations can cause aniridia.	40
8737922939	Apoptosis	Process of programmed cell death.	41