Cell Communication

Cell communication, also known as cell signaling, is a fundamental biological process through which cells interact with each other and their environment. It encompasses the entire system of intercellular and intracellular signaling, involving multiple distinct molecular components working together, such as signaling molecules (e.g., hormones, growth factors, neurotransmitters), various types of receptors (e.g., G-protein-coupled receptors, enzyme-linked receptors, ion-channel receptors), intracellular signaling proteins (e.g., kinases, second messengers, adaptor proteins), and complex signal transduction pathways (e.g., cAMP, MAPK/ERK, JAK/STAT). It is important to note that 'cell communication' itself is not a discrete molecular entity that can be targeted with drugs; rather, specific components within these communication pathways serve as therapeutic targets. Therefore, treating 'cell communication' as a therapeutic target is a category error, as it represents a process, not a molecule.

Other names

Cell signaling