Random question regarding signal transduction

An ordinary signal transduction means that extracellular signals (hormones, signal inputs...) are transfering by enzymes into the inner of a cell to convert them to intracellular signals. As such they unfold their effects.

If a chain reaction of enzymes are involved in this signal transduction, it is a cascade, quasi a domino effect. The principle of signal transduction is the same.

so if a question asked "Name the process by which a response is triggered by the binding of ADH to the receptor", would the answer "signal transduction cascade" be correct?

This is probably a really stupid question but is signal transduction and signal transduction cascade the same thing??

so if a question asked "Name the process by which a response is triggered by the binding of ADH to the receptor", would the answer "signal transduction cascade" be correct?

Sorry for being late.

As ADH is an enzyme which causes the activation of the receptor (another protein) only, I would say no. It has to be a lot of enzymes to regard this transduction as a cascade. Two enzymes which are interacting with each other are a bit too less.

Yes, they are essentially the same thing. Signal transduction refers to the transmission of molecular signals from the exterior to the interior of a cell, inducing a response. A signal transduction cascade refers to the series of reactions by which this would happen. It's kind of like the coagulation cascade (though it is not signal transduction), coagulation refers to the formation of a blood clot while the coagulation cascade refers to the series of intermediate steps and reactions.



Yes, you're right. ADH is a hormone which binds to it's complementary receptor, which is a G protein-coupled receptor. This causes the alpha subunit to exchange GDP for GTP and dissociate from the receptor where it activates adenylyl cyclase, an enzyme which converts ATP into cAMP. cAMP then activates protein kinase A which phosphorylates a number of different proteins which ultimately leads to the insertion of vesicles containing aquaporins into the plasma membrane of cells within the collecting duct in the kidney. As you can see, there are a number of different steps involved here; a signal is transmitted from the exterior to the interior of the cell, inducing a response. Hence, you are right in saying that the process is 'signal transduction.'



I think you may have confused anti-diuretic hormone with alcohol dehydrogenase.

(...) I think you may have confused anti-diuretic hormone with alcohol dehydrogenase.