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Cell-Cell Interaction Mechanisms

Cell-cell interactions occur through either direct contact between cells or indirect associations mediated by soluble factors. Direct contact allows for communication through molecular signaling or intercellular connections, while indirect interactions involve factors that diffuse and bind to receptor molecules. Signal transduction from these interactions can directly or indirectly affect intracellular events by altering ion channels or activating second messenger systems to phosphorylate target proteins.

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Daniel Filizzola
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104 views18 pages

Cell-Cell Interaction Mechanisms

Cell-cell interactions occur through either direct contact between cells or indirect associations mediated by soluble factors. Direct contact allows for communication through molecular signaling or intercellular connections, while indirect interactions involve factors that diffuse and bind to receptor molecules. Signal transduction from these interactions can directly or indirectly affect intracellular events by altering ion channels or activating second messenger systems to phosphorylate target proteins.

Uploaded by

Daniel Filizzola
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Cell-Cell Interaction

Cellular Communication
1. A cell communicates and interacts with other cells (cell-cell
interactions) and with its extracellular matrix (ECM) (cell-matrix
interactions)
2. Extracellular communication factors are of two general types:
1) those that get through the lipid bilayer on their own (e.g.,
steroid hormones) or
2) those that act on the outside of the membrane (e.g., peptide
hormones) and require a receptor and transduction of the
signal across the membrane to produce an intracellular
response.
3. Extracellular communication factors influence such cellular
functions as cell division, metabolism, and gene expression.
Cellular Communication
4. Cell-cell interactions are achieved by direct cell-cell contact, or by
indirect associations among cells separated by greater or lesser
distances. In addition to communication, direct cell-cell
interactions may be adhesive interactions through cell adhesion
molecules (CAMs), cadherins, or adhering-types of intercellular
junctions.

a. Direct cell-cell communication may occur through


transmembrane molecular signaling or through intercellular
connections - gap (communicating) intercellular junctions
(animals) or plasmodesmata (plants).

b. Indirect interactions are mediated by soluble factors that


diffuse over greater or lesser distances and interact with specific
cell membrane-associated receptor molecules.
Cellular Communication
5. Signal transduction may lead to receptor changes that directly
affect intracellular events (e.g., altered permeability of an ion
channel) or may indirectly affect intracellular events through
second messenger systems (e.g., cyclic AMP and
diacylglycerol/inositol triphosphate messengers).

6. Second messengers are small molecules that diffuse rapidly and


amplify the cellular response by acting to directly or indirectly
activate protein kinases, enzymes that attach phosphate groups
from ATP to specific target proteins.

7. Protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is a common mode of


rapid, reversible regulation of protein function. The protein
kinases transfer phosphate groups to proteins, while specific
protein phosphatases remove phosphate groups.

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