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Once a ligand binds to a receptor, the signal is transmitted through the membrane and into the cytoplasm. The continuation of a signal in this manner is called signal transduction. Signal transduction only occurs with cell-surface receptors, which cannot interact with most components of the cell, such as DNA. Only internal receptors can interact directly with DNA in the nucleus to initiate protein synthesis. When a ligand binds to its receptor, conformational changes occur that affect the...

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Eph receptor signalling casts a wide net on cell behaviour.

Elena B Pasquale¹

¹The Burnham Institute, 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. elenap@burnham.org

Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology

|June 2, 2005

Summary

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and ephrin ligands control cell behavior through cell-cell contact. Quantitative variations in their signaling explain diverse developmental and disease effects, including axon guidance and cell migration.

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Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development

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Published on: June 15, 2017

Area of Science:

Cell biology
Developmental biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and their ephrin ligands mediate cell-cell interactions.
These interactions are crucial for various biological processes, including development and disease.
Eph-ephrin signaling affects both contacting cells.

Purpose of the Study:

To explain how quantitative differences in Eph and ephrin signaling influence cellular responses.
To provide new models for understanding Eph-ephrin mediated effects.

Main Methods:

Computational modeling
Quantitative analysis of receptor and ligand densities
Signaling pathway analysis

Main Results:

Models demonstrate that varying Eph receptor and ephrin ligand densities and signaling strengths lead to distinct cellular outcomes.
Quantitative variations explain diverse effects on axon guidance, cell adhesion, and cell migration.
The models are applicable across different biological contexts, from development to disease.

Conclusions:

Quantitative aspects of Eph-ephrin signaling are critical determinants of biological outcomes.
New models offer a framework for understanding the diverse roles of Eph-ephrin signaling.
This signaling system's plasticity underlies its involvement in development, homeostasis, and disease.