Canadian Medical Guide > Biological Sciences > Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity > Cell Physiology > Cell Communication Terms and Definitions

Cell Communication

Medical Definition:	Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP.
Guide Notes:	not for micro-organisms
Previously Indexed:	Intercellular Junctions (1970-1977)

Cell Communication Categories.

	Autocrine Communication - Mode of communication wherein a bound hormone affects the function of the cell type that produced the hormone.
	Bystander Effect - The result of a positive or negative response (to drugs, for example) in one cell being passed onto other cells via the GAP JUNCTIONS or the intracellular milieu.
	Embryonic Induction - Embryonic cell differentiation in which one group of cells evokes and controls the differentiation of other groups of cells.
	Paracrine Communication - Cellular signaling in which a factor secreted by a cell affects other cells in the local environment. This term is often used to denote the action of INTERCELLULAR SIGNALLING PEPTIDES AND PROTEINS on surrounding cells.
	Signal Transduction - The intercellular or intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway.

Cell Communication Medical Definitions and Terms

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