DEV2011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Paracrine Signalling, Cell Adhesion Molecule, Autocrine Signalling
Document Summary
Cell signaling occurs between cells of a single organism. However, cell signaling may also occur between cells of two different organisms. The ability of cells to perceive and correctly respond to their microenvironment is the basis of development, tissue repair, and immunity as well as normal tissue homeostasis. It is a type of cell-cell or cell-extracellular matrix signaling in multicellular organisms that requires close contact. There are three types of contact- dependent signaling: A membrane ligand (protein, oligosaccharide, lipid) and a membrane protein of two adjacent cells interact. A communicating junction links the intracellular compartments of two adjacent cells, allowing transit of relatively small molecules. An extracellular matrix glycoprotein and a membrane protein interact. In cell-cell signaling, a cell places a specific ligand on the surface of its membrane, and subsequently another cell can bind it with an appropriate cell surface receptor or cell adhesion molecule.
