The extent and duration of a cellular response to a signal depend on the:
A)binding affinity of the receptor to the signaling molecule.
B)concentration of the signaling molecule in the vicinity of the receptor.
C)level of expression of the signal transduction proteins.
D)level of expression of proteins that terminate the response.
E)All of these choices are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of these choices are correct. The binding affinity of the receptor to the signaling molecule determines how likely the receptor is to be activated by low concentrations of ligand. The concentration of the signaling molecule in the vicinity of the receptor affects the probability of receptor activation and the strength of the response, given that the receptor is activated. The level of expression of signal transduction proteins determines the efficiency and speed of the signal transduction cascades downstream of the receptor, which affects the strength and duration of the response. The level of expression of proteins that terminate the response determines how quickly the response is terminated, which affects the duration of the response.

The Extent and Duration of a Cellular Response to a Signal