What Are the Main Components Involved in Signal Transmission?
Several components are essential for signal transmission:
- Signaling molecules: These include hormones, growth factors, and neurotransmitters. - Receptors: Typically proteins located on the cell surface or within the cell that bind to signaling molecules. - Second messengers: Small molecules like cyclic AMP (cAMP) that relay signals from receptors to target molecules inside the cell. - Effector proteins: These proteins execute the cellular response, such as enzymes, ion channels, and transcription factors.
