IUBio

Definition of a cellular signal

Mark Haynes Mark.Haynes at Mail.TJU.Edu
Wed Sep 20 12:09:31 EST 2000


Vladi, That is one kind of signal.  there are others. cell binds to matrix
and moves. bacteria recognize aa and swim toward it via the proton engine.
biochemically there is a recognition event that is exemplified by
'cytokine binding to a cell receptor' which leads to a signal (technically
there is probably a threshold level of receptors that need to bind,
whether the threshold is governed by a % occupancy or simply post-binding
signal strengh can be argued but a recognitive step seems to be required
for the signaling to start.

Vladimir Matveev wrote:

> According to you, "a signal is the binding of the cytokine to the
> receptor". This definition is extremely limited. A cell has many other
> kind of signals.
>
> ***
> In article <39C7A721.F373B041 at Mail.TJU.Edu>,
>   Mark Haynes <Mark.Haynes at Mail.TJU.Edu> wrote:
> > Yo mismo n' moi aussi.
> > I was thinking of signalling from the biochemical angle and not
> really the
> > reciever angle.  From the example Jay gave, to me the signal is the
> binding of
> > the cytokine to the receptor --  in a vacuum.  by that i mean that
> its not
> > necessary for the recieving cell to respond.  cytokine binds to a
> extracellular
> > receptor and a chain of events happens -- protein shape change, ion
> flux,
> > kinase/phosphatase activity and the like.
> >
> > Jay Mone wrote:
> >
> > > My definition of a cellular signal is any substance or process
> which occurs
> > > between two cells  which results in a specific cellular response
> from one of
> > > the cells.  For example, the release of a cytokine by one cell,
> which is
> > > taken up by a second cell, resulting in a specific response from
> the second
> > > cell.  I don't know if I've ever seen the term defined.  I'd be
> interested
> > > to know.
> > >
> > > Jay Mone'
> > >
> > > ---
> >
> >
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.






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