Question

. Glycogen metabolism is controlled by a signaling cascade that responds to hormones such as glucagon and epinephrine. Describe the general features of a signaling cascade and its advantages.

Answer 1

Features of signal transduction mechanism:

A Specificity

Signal molecule fits binding site on its receptor and other signals won't fit.

B- Amplification

When enzyme activates the receptor the number of molecules increases geometrically in any enzyme cascade.

C-Desensitization/Adaptation

Receptor activation triggers a feedback circuit that shuts of the receptor or removed it from cell surface.

D- Integration

When signal have opposite effects on a metabolic process such as concentration of secondary messengers or the membrane potential VM , the regulatory potential results from integrated input from both receptors.

This way we can look the advantages of signal transduction pathway

1- Allows amplification

2- Specificty for each enzyme or hormone action

3- Provide more opportunities of regulation and tightly control the hormone level preventing hypo or hyper activity