Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Cells killing themselves!

hollywoodbudgie

Hi, I've got a quick question on apoptosis:

Explain in what ways vertebrate apoptosis illustrates the principles of signal transduction?

Ideas anyone? :colondollar:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1

Nix-j-c

hhhmmmm I'm not entirely sure if this exactly answers your question but . . . is how the cells die between fingers and toes in embryos as they have webbed feet and hands, what you mean? i know that is apoptosis but not sure about the signal transduction bit . . .

Reply 2

Democracy

Original post by hollywoodbudgie

Hi, I've got a quick question on apoptosis:

Ideas anyone? :colondollar:

Look up the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis, as well as what stimulates them.

I doubt you'll need to know it in much detail, but you'll be able to see how it is an example of signal transduction :smile:

Reply 3

hollywoodbudgie

Original post by Democracy

Thank you. Would a response like the one I wrote below be enough detail for first year? (Maybe I should explain what the proteolytic cascade is as well depending on the marks).

'A signal transduction pathway is a series of steps by which a signal on a cell surface is converted into a specific cellular response. Just like how in a signal transduction pathway there is a chain reaction of relay molecules mediating a response, vertebrate apoptosis is mediated by an intracellular proteolytic cascade.

Moreover, cell apoptosis llustrates the principles of signal transduction as it can be triggered from extracellular chemical signals such as those from neighbouring cells reaching the cell surface of the apoptotic cell.'

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

DeeWave

Original post by Democracy

^This.

Its about the pathways which lead from different cell stated to apoptosis. For example double-strand breaks in DNA are pro-apoptotic via a sequence of stages, most importantly mediated by a protein called p53 (a transcription factor). Growth factor pathways inhibit apoptosis via a number of mediators (e.g. 'Bad'), and external death ligands such as 'Fas' stimulate apoptosis via the DISC.

Maybe try drawing a flowchart to help understand how the different stimuli and mediators fit together? Definitely look up the roles of p53, Fas and caspases. I'd personally start that question by considering the purpose of apoptosis and how it is effected - then I'd explain how certain stimuli can stimulate or suppress it, with reference to the various signalling pathways in use. I'd finish by thinking about how apoptosis is beneficial to the organism before touching on dysregulation in cancer.

HTH :smile: