Question

What is signal amplification?

Answer 1

Suppose a signal is reaching inside a cell by a molecule of hormone. However, to induce the signal, it must be amplified in a such way that the reponse is occuring several times and the signal is increasing. To do so a molecule which is catalyzing the particular function will perform multiple time. Thus in every step the signal is resulting signal is amplifying. If we take an example of second messenger in signal transduction pathway, where a signal is multiplied several times upon binding of ligand with its receptor. Receptor-ligand binding will activates a second messenger or an enzyme which is amplifying. This second messenger further increases the signal by amplifying other molecules. After the process comes to an end the signal generated by the ligand get amplified several fold.