Cellular Communication

How can cells send signals to each other?

Why?
There are many times when communication between cells is advantageous. For multicellular organisms,
communication between nearby or even distant cells is critical for the survival of the species. Even single
celled organisms like bacteria have an evolutionary advantage when they “talk” with each other. Cells
employ a variety of signaling pathways in order to send chemical messages from cell to cell.

Model 1 – Types of Signaling juxtacrine

A B

autocrine

el
vess
paracrine ood
Bl

endocrine

Cellular Communication 1
 1. Consider the diagrams in Model 1 of four types of cellular communication. Match each of the
shapes below with a label at the right.

signalling molecule Cell
(ligand)

cell Signaling molecule (ligand)

receptor Receptor
membrane channel

   Membrane channel
2. Describe how the shape of the ligand (signaling molecule) and the shape of the receptor are
related.
the ligand and receptor fit perfectly to each other, much like how a substrate fits into an enzyme (such as
the lock and key model)

3. Which of the cellular communication methods in Model 1 appear to be for signaling between
cells that are in close proximity?
C is the model that shows cells signalling in close proximity to each other. Model B also shows cells signalling
in close proximity to each other

4. Which of the cellular communication methods in Model 1 appear to be for signaling between
cells in different parts of an organism (long-distance communication)?
The model D would be the model that best represents cells in different parts of an organism , because it
shows a ligand travelling through a vessel to travel to another cell.

5. In which of the cellular communication methods would a ligand (signaling molecule) need to
have the longest “life”? Explain your reasoning.
The ligand in model D would have to have a longer life because it has to travel a longer distance between cells

6. Use the four terms below to label the diagrams in Model 1. Word-part definitions are given to
help you determine the meanings of each term. done :))))

Autocrine (auto = self ) Paracrine (para = nearby)

Juxtacrine (juxta = beside, next to, touching) Endocrine (endo = within)
7. Cellular communication takes place for a variety of reasons—mating, defense mechanisms,
homeostasis, growth, etc. Discuss the following question with your group and make a prediction:
“Do all ligands for cellular communication have the same chemical structure (shape)?”
Provide specific reasons or examples to support your prediction.
No, they don't all have the same chemical structure because different ligands are used to send different signals. If all the
ligands were the same in chemical structure, then they would not be able to identify different messages. This would create
issues within an organism, as there would be no differentiation between cell multiplication or cell death signals.

2 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

 8. Consider each of the following cellular communication examples. Divide the work among group
members. Have each group member determine which type of signaling is being used in their
scenario (autocrine, juxtacrine, paracrine or endocrine), and then present their reasoning to the
group.
a. Quorum sensing is used by bacteria to determine the population density of their species
in a local area. (Many bacterial functions would be ineffective in small numbers—infecting
a host organism with a toxin, for example—and would therefore be a waste of energy and
resources to the bacteria.) Each bacterium produces a ligand. Once the concentration of that
ligand reaches a critical concentration, thus indicating a sufficient population density for the
response to be effective, all bacteria will respond simultaneously.

paracrine because the ligand doesn't have to travel

a large distance

b. Plants construct channels between cells called plasmodesmata that allow ligands to move
directly from one cell to another throughout the plant structure.

juxtacrine because the cells are beside/touching each other

c. Morphogens are produced in embryos from a central source early in development. They dif-
fuse throughout the tissue creating a concentration gradient that provides a spatial reference
for developing cells. Cells far from the morphogen production will develop into one type of
tissue while cells close to the source will develop into a different type of tissue. This allows for
differentiation of cell structure early in embryotic development.

paracrine because the cells are close to each other

but not touching

d. Cells in the human pancreas release insulin when blood sugar levels are elevated. The insulin
signals cells in the liver to begin absorbing glucose and convert it to glycogen for storage.
endocrine because the ligand has to travel to reach the liver after being released from the pancreas

Cellular Communication 3
 9. Consider each of the following cellular communication examples. Divide the work among group
members. Have each group member determine which type of signaling is being used in their
scenario (autocrine, juxtacrine, paracrine or endocrine), and then present their reasoning to the
group.
a. Pheromones released by a female gamete cell (egg) provide a pathway for the male gamete
cell (sperm) to travel, increasing the possibility of fertilization.
endocrine because the pheromones need to travel quite a distance between the egg and the sperm

b. Some cancer cells release their own growth hormone rather than relying on growth hormones
from the host organism or from other cells. This presents challenges to cancer researchers
looking for ways to slow the growth of cancer cells.
autocrine because the cancer cell is producing it's own signalling hormone

c. Neurotransmitters are ligands that are released from the axon of one nerve cell to the
dendrite of another nerve cell. This helps to propagate the signal across several cells.

Axon
Synapse
paracrine because the cells are not touching (so not
juxtacrine), but they are close to each other
Dendrite

d. Cells in the pituitary gland produce thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is received
by cells in the thyroid. The arrival of TSH in the thyroid triggers production of several hor-
mones, which then travel throughout the body to regulate metabolism.
endocrine because the ligand must travel between the pituitary gland and the thyroid to deliver its message

10. If a medical researcher wanted to prevent communication between cells in order to cure a disease
or prevent a malady, how might they achieve that? Propose two or more general methods that
could be used to stop a signal transmission from cell to cell.
A medical researcher could do this by making a molecule that resembles the ligand of the cell, but this molecule blocks the
receptor.
Another method would be for the medical researcher to use a chemical that blocks the production of the ligand

11. If a medical researcher wanted to enhance communication between cells in order to cure a disease
or prevent a malady, how might they achieve that? Propose two or more general methods that
could be used to enhance signal transmission from cell to cell.
one method would be to create a hormone/molecule that stimulates the production of ligands
Another method would be to create a molecule that clears any blockages that receptors may have

4 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

Extension Questions
11. The examples of cellular communication used in this activity vary from bacteria to plants to ver-
tebrates. However, the mechanisms of cellular communication are similar among varied species.
Explain how scientists might use cellular communication systems to show evolutionary related-
ness between species.
if one type of organism developed cellular communication before other types of organisms even existed,
that would mean that the other organisms must have gotten this function from the first organisms to develop
the mechanism. Scientists could study this to show evolutionary relatedness between the earliest creatures
on earth to humans and other organisms living today.

12. Some hormones such as estrogen and testosterone are lipids and are therefore nonpolar. Explain
why a receptor protein would not be needed for this type of ligand to activate a response in a cell.
receptor proteins would be unneeded for these hormones because since they are nonpolar, they can pass through
the tail part of the phospholipid bilayer, meaning it can easily infiltrate the cell membrane and enter the cell to
pass on the message

13. Suggest some stimuli that might cause a cell to release a ligand and begin communication be-
tween cells.
a stimuli that could cause a cell to release a ligand would be a cell that stimulates the enzyme that produces
the ligand.
Another stimuli would be a molecule or hormone that signals for the enzyme to create more ligands.

Cellular Communication 5