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Related Concept Videos

Cell Signaling Feedback Loops01:07

Cell Signaling Feedback Loops

Positive and negative feedback loops are crucial for regulating biological signaling systems. These feedback loops are processes that connect output signals to their inputs.
Negative feedback loops
Most signaling systems have negative feedback loops that can perform different functions such as output limiter, and adaptation.
Output limiter
Upon receiving an input signal, the cellular response rapidly increases until a threshold is reached. Beyond this threshold, a negative feedback loop...
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...
Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
Intracellular Signaling Cascades01:24

Intracellular Signaling Cascades

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...
Intracellular Signaling Cascades01:24

Intracellular Signaling Cascades

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...
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells01:19

Protein Dynamics in Living Cells

Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development
09:32

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

Published on: June 15, 2017

Light-based feedback for controlling intracellular signaling dynamics.

Jared E Toettcher1, Delquin Gong, Wendell A Lim

  • 1Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.

Nature Methods
|September 13, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a novel optogenetic method for precise control of cell signaling. This technique uses light-gated interactions to manipulate protein localization and activity, enabling new ways to study cellular processes.

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Photostimulation by Femtosecond Laser Activates Extracellular-signal-regulated Kinase (ERK) Signaling or Mitochondrial Events in Target Cells

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Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development
09:32

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Published on: June 15, 2017

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Photostimulation by Femtosecond Laser Activates Extracellular-signal-regulated Kinase (ERK) Signaling or Mitochondrial Events in Target Cells
11:00

Photostimulation by Femtosecond Laser Activates Extracellular-signal-regulated Kinase (ERK) Signaling or Mitochondrial Events in Target Cells

Published on: July 6, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Understanding complex cell-signaling systems is crucial for biological research.
  • Precise control over signaling pathways in live cells remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop an optogenetic method for applying custom signaling inputs.
  • To enable precise interrogation of cell-signaling systems using feedback control.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a light-gated protein-protein interaction for feedback control.
  • Applied the optogenetic strategy to perturb protein localization.
  • Manipulated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity.

Main Results:

  • Generated dynamic, time-varying signals within cellular pathways.
  • Implemented signal clamping to mitigate cell-to-cell variability.
  • Demonstrated buffering against fluctuations in pathway activity.

Conclusions:

  • The developed optogenetic method offers precise control over cellular signaling.
  • This approach facilitates the study of complex biological systems.
  • It provides a tool to generate controlled signaling dynamics and reduce variability.