Final Answer:
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a "secondary messenger" that helps transmit signals from the cell surface to proteins within the cell, often stimulating protein kinases and playing crucial roles in the regulation of certain metabolic enzymes. Additionally, cAMP provides links between pathways. Option C is the answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) functions as a secondary messenger in cell signaling pathways. When extracellular signals, such as hormones, bind to cell surface receptors, it activates adenylate cyclase, leading to the production of cAMP from ATP. cAMP then transmits the signal within the cell, often activating protein kinases that regulate various cellular processes.
cAMP serves as a versatile signaling molecule, facilitating communication between different pathways and coordinating cellular responses to external signals. It is involved in diverse processes such as cell metabolism, gene expression, and cell growth.
Option C is the answer.