Cells interact with the extracellular environment by:
b) Receptor binding and signal transduction
Receptor binding:
Cells have specific receptors on their surfaces or within their membranes. These receptors are proteins that recognize and bind to signaling molecules, which can be hormones, growth factors, or other chemical messengers.
Signal transduction
Once the receptor binds to its ligand, a series of events is initiated inside the cell known as signal transduction. This process converts the extracellular signal into intracellular responses.