UNSW Cell Biology

ANAT3231 Laboratory 12

Introduction

This laboratory is an introduction to Signal Transduction methods for analysis of cells and tissues in cell biology. The laboratory handout and textbook alone contain enough information as an introduction to the subject for this level of study. If you are interested in further reading, I have also included below links to more detailed textbooks and websites with further information and images. Please note this additional information is not necessarily examinable, but may be useful if you have not previously studied biology.

Objectives

Understand background of signaling

Brief understanding of main signaling pathways

Understand major signaling techniques

Page Links: Start Here | NLM Online Textbooks |References | Related Topics | Commercial Resources

Start Here

Consider the steps in the simple signaling pathway shown below.

Extracellular signal (ligand) -> receptor -> Intracellular signaling intermediates -> targets

Now lets ask some questions about this generic signaling pathway.

What are the differences in physical location of each component on the basis of lipid (steroid signaling) or water soluble (protein/peptide signaling)?

What is the general purpose of cell signaling? (that is, what do we classify these signals as doing)

So then what are the "targets" of signaling?

Now finally, attempt to develop a table which groups different molecules into each of the major groups shown.

Extracellular signal (ligand)

Extracellular signal (ligand)

NLM Online Textbooks

Molecular Biology of the Cell 4

NCBI MBoC | Publisher (Garland) MBoC

Molecular Cell Biology

NCBI MCB | Publisher (Freeman) MCB
Search MBC - " Signaling"

The Cell- A Molecular Approach

NCBI The Cell | Publisher (Sinauer) The Cell
Search The Cell - "Signaling"

Web Links

External

The Virtual Library of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
General Cell Signaling

Commercial Resources

Biocarta - Signaling

References

Journals

Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry

Related Topics