Definition
- Intercellular communication is the process by which cells signal one another.
- Most hormones act by binding a specific receptor on or in the target cell, forming a hormone-receptor (HR) complex that triggers signal transduction.
- Circulating hormone concentration is exceedingly low (10⁻⁹ to 10⁻¹² mol/L), so the receptor signal must undergo signal amplification to alter cell function.
Types of Intercellular Communication
Mechanisms of intercellular communication
Type
Direct
- Mechanism
- Via gap junctions between cells
Neural
- Mechanism
- Via synapses (synaptic transmission)
Endocrine
- Mechanism
- Via circulating hormones
Paracrine
- Mechanism
- Via locally released hormones from neighbouring cells
Neurocrine
- Mechanism
- Via chemicals released at a nerve terminal