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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Cell Signaling01:23

Overview of Cell Signaling

Despite the protective membrane that separates a cell from the environment, cells need the ability to detect and respond to environmental changes. Additionally, cells often need to communicate with one another. Unicellular and multicellular organisms use a variety of cell signaling mechanisms to communicate with the environment.
Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. For example, skin cells respond to and transmit touch...
Overview of Cell Signaling01:23

Overview of Cell Signaling

Despite the protective membrane that separates a cell from the environment, cells need the ability to detect and respond to environmental changes. Additionally, cells often need to communicate with one another. Unicellular and multicellular organisms use a variety of cell signaling mechanisms to communicate with the environment.
Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. For example, skin cells respond to and transmit touch...
Non-equilibrium in the Cell01:16

Non-equilibrium in the Cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both directions, releasing energy into their environment in one direction, and absorbing it from the environment in the other direction. The same is true for the chemical reactions involved in cell metabolism, such as the breaking down and building up of proteins into and from individual amino acids, respectively. Reactants within a closed system...
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses01:22

Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses

The physiological function of a cell and cellular communication are outcomes of a range of extrinsic signals, intracellular signaling pathways, and cellular responses. No two cell types express the same repertoire of signaling components. Receptors are highly selective for their cognate ligands, but once activated, they can alter multiple cellular processes such as DNA transcription, protein synthesis, and metabolic activity. 
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
What is Cell Signaling?02:03

What is Cell Signaling?

Despite the protective membrane that separates a cell from the environment, cells need the ability to detect and respond to environmental changes. Additionally, cells often need to communicate with one another. Unicellular and multicellular organisms use a variety of cell signaling mechanisms to communicate to respond to the environment.
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
09:50

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

Decision making in living cells: lessons from a simple system.

Ido Golding1

  • 1Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. igolding@illinois.edu

Annual Review of Biophysics
|May 7, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Bacteriophage lambda

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The bacteriophage lambda life cycle is a model system for understanding cellular decision-making processes.
  • Recent research has focused on quantitative, high-resolution studies of this model system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying cell-fate decisions.
  • To investigate how cells maintain gene-expression memory and switch between states.
  • To differentiate between chemical stochasticity and hidden variables in cellular processes.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative experimental investigations.
  • High-resolution analysis of bacteriophage lambda life cycle.
  • Analysis of spatiotemporal effects in cellular processes.

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The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions
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Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism
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Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

Published on: December 18, 2013

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
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A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions
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The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions

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12:38

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

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Main Results:

  • Identified key insights into how cells choose alternative fates.
  • Highlighted the role of spatiotemporal dynamics in cellular memory and state switching.
  • Emphasized the need to distinguish chemical noise from other factors influencing cell decisions.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteriophage lambda provides a valuable model for complex cellular behaviors.
  • Spatiotemporal effects are crucial for understanding cell-fate decisions and memory.
  • Distinguishing stochasticity sources is vital for accurate modeling of cellular processes.