Lecture 4

Introductory Biology
BIO-101

Amir Faisal

Lecture 4
Cell Communication and Cell Division
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G protein coupled receptors (GPCR)

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Intracellular Receptors

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Signal transduction and cancer
 Many bladder cancers contain an abnormal
form of a protein called Ras
 Ras is a G protein – abnormal form always
active. Permanently bound to GTP
 Cells keep on dividing. If Ras is inhibited,
cells stop dividing

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A Protein Kinase Cascade

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Second Messengers

 Small intracellular mediators; Small

intracellular signaling molecules that are
formed or released for action in response to
an extracellular signal and help to relay that
signal within the cell.

 Examples: cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, IP3, Ca2+

and diacylglycerol

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Second Messenger (Ca2+)

 Activates Protein
Kinase C (PKC)

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From Epinephrine (Adrenaline) to glucose release

 “Fight or Flight” response

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Odorant and light receptors

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Summary
 Cells are constantly exposed to molecular signals that can come from the external
environment or from within the body of a multicellular organism

 Receptors are proteins that bind, or are changed by, specific signals or ligands; the
changed receptor initiates a response in the cell.

 Signal transduction is the series of steps between the binding of a signal to a receptor
and the ultimate cellular response.

 Cells respond to signal transduction by activating enzymes, opening membrane

channels, or initiating gene transcription

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 Reading
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Life: The Science of Biology, 9th edition

Chapter 7 pages 128-145

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The Cell Division

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Continuity of Life
 Cell division is the basic process that ensures the continuity of life

 Unicellular organisms propagate by dividing

 Multicellular organisms need cell division to replace damaged or

senescent cells

 In humans, billions of cells die each day, mainly in the blood and in
the epithelial lining of intestines

 Meiosis (a type of cell division) allows organisms to shuffle their

genes and diversify
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Events of Cell Division
1. Reproductive Signal
Initiates cell division and may originate inside or outside the cell

2. Replication of DNA
So both daughter cells have identical copies of the genome

3. Segregation
Distribution of the replicated DNA into new cells

4. Cytokinesis
Physical separation of a cell into two

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Cell Division in Bacteria

 20-40 min
 Favorable conditions!
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Control of Eukaryotic Cell
Cycle
 Divide by Mitosis or Meiosis
• Reproductive Signal
• Replication
• Segregation
• Cytokinesis

 Four Phases of Cell cycle

• Gap 1 (G1)
• DNA Synthesis (S)
• Gap 2 (G2)
• Mitosis
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Cyclin Dependent Kinases (Cdks)
Protein + ATP

Protein Kinase

Protein-P + ADP

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Cdks control cell cycle progression

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 Retinoblastoma Protein (Rb) Lecture 4

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From DNA to Chromosomes

 DNA
 Histones
 Nucleosomes
 Chromatin

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Mitosis

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Mitosis

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SSE15206 SSE15206
1 mM 24h 0.5mM 24h DMSO
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Cytokinesis

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Karyotype

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Ladies & Gentlemen…we have a problem!

Germ cells: 23 chromosomes

Somatic cells: 46 chromosomes
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Meiosis

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Meiosis (cont’..d)

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Genetic Recombination

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Nondisjunction Leads to Aneuploidy

 Down’s Syndrome
(Trisomy 21)

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 Reading
Lecture 4

Life: The Science of Biology, 9th edition

Chapter 11

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