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Related Concept Videos

Assembly of Signaling Complexes01:30

Assembly of Signaling Complexes

Multiprotein signaling complexes are formed in a dynamic process involving protein-protein interactions at the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane receptors or enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins associated with the receptor. These complexes ensure the activation and propagation of intracellular signals that regulate cell functions.
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...
Cell-surface Signaling01:21

Cell-surface Signaling

Hormones—or any molecule that binds to a receptor, known as a ligand—that are lipid-insoluble (water-soluble) are not able to diffuse across the cell membrane. In order to be able to affect a cell without entering it, these hormones bind to receptors on the cell membrane. When a first messenger, a hormone, binds to a receptor, a signal cascade is set off, causing second messengers, proteins inside the cell, to become activated, resulting in downstream effects.
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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy
15:13

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: July 25, 2014

Receptor dynamics in signaling.

Verena Becker1, Jens Timmer, Ursula Klingmüller

  • 1Division Systems Biology of Signal Transduction, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. verena_becker@hms.harvard.edu

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|December 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell surface receptors mediate essential cell communication for organism development and health. Understanding their signaling is crucial for developing targeted therapies for diseases like cancer.

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Visualizing the Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Receptors Using Single-Molecule FRET
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Visualizing the Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Receptors Using Single-Molecule FRET

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Fluorescence Biomembrane Force Probe: Concurrent Quantitation of Receptor-ligand Kinetics and Binding-induced Intracellular Signaling on a Single Cell
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Fluorescence Biomembrane Force Probe: Concurrent Quantitation of Receptor-ligand Kinetics and Binding-induced Intracellular Signaling on a Single Cell

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Last Updated: May 26, 2026

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy
15:13

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: July 25, 2014

Visualizing the Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Receptors Using Single-Molecule FRET
10:59

Visualizing the Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Receptors Using Single-Molecule FRET

Published on: August 17, 2022

Fluorescence Biomembrane Force Probe: Concurrent Quantitation of Receptor-ligand Kinetics and Binding-induced Intracellular Signaling on a Single Cell
14:09

Fluorescence Biomembrane Force Probe: Concurrent Quantitation of Receptor-ligand Kinetics and Binding-induced Intracellular Signaling on a Single Cell

Published on: August 4, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Multicellular organisms rely on cell surface receptors for inter- and intracellular communication, vital for development and integrity.
  • Receptor proteins convert extracellular signals into intracellular responses, regulating cellular functions.
  • Dysfunctional signal transduction and receptor aberrations are implicated in various diseases, particularly cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the design principles governing cell surface receptor signaling.
  • To provide a comprehensive overview of signal transduction mechanisms at the receptor level.
  • To highlight the importance of receptor signaling knowledge in drug discovery.

Main Methods:

  • Review and discussion of signal transduction pathways.
  • Analysis of different classes of cell surface receptors.
  • Examination of exemplary receptor signaling mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Cell surface receptors are key signal transducers essential for cellular communication.
  • Aberrant receptor signaling contributes to disease pathogenesis, especially in cancer.
  • Understanding receptor signaling principles is critical for therapeutic target identification.

Conclusions:

  • Cell surface receptors are central to multicellular life and disease.
  • Knowledge of receptor signaling mechanisms is fundamental for effective drug discovery and development.
  • This chapter provides insights into diverse receptor signaling pathways.