Biochemical messengers: hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors

Introduction - cell-to-cell signalling by bridges: why do cells need to communicate? three basic types of intracellular signalling intracellular signalling via cytoplasmic bridges. Part 1 The first messengers - hormones, neurotransmitters and local mediators: hormones neurotransmitters local mediators (paracrine control). Part 2 Structure and biosynthesis of first messengers: messengers derived from amino acids and other water soluble metabolites messengers sunthesized from lipids peptide messengers. Part 3 Ionic homeostasis and nervous conduction: ionic homeostasis excitable cells and nervous conduction. Part 4 Cell biology of first messenger synthesis and secretion: cell biology of peptide messenger synthesis import of non-peptide messengers into secretory granules triggering of exocytosis. Part 5 Cell surface receptors - analysis and identification: receptor binding studies identification and characterization of receptor proteins receptor superfamilies desensitization of receptors down-regulation of receptors. Part 6 Cell surface receptors - signal transduction: ligand-gated ion channels second messenger systems - cyclic nucleotides Ca2+-mobilizing messengers utilize a novel second messenger system receptors with integral enzyme activity. Part 7 Cell surface receptors - protein phosphorylation and other intracellular events: responses to depolarization by ligand-gated ion channels responses to Ca2+ and second messengers responses to protein (Tyrosine) kinase receptors protein phosphatases how does phosphorylation modulate protein function? advantages of protein phosphorylation for signal transduction. Part 8 Regulation of cell proliferation and cancer: growth of normal and abnormal cells in culture discovery of oncogenes functions of oncogenes and their normal counterparts the anti-oncogenes tumour suppressors mutation of more than one gene may be necessary to produce cancer. Part 9 Signal transduction by nuclear receptors: nuclear receptors bind directly to target genes anatomy of nuclear receptors mechanism of gene activastion.