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What happens if a sorting signal changes?

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Final answer:

A change in sorting signals can disrupt cellular communication at various stages, potentially leading to aberrant signaling or incomplete cellular responses. Cellular pathways are complex and can diverge based on protein interactions and conditions within the cell. The regulation of the cellular response is reversible and crucial for appropriate action.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a sorting signal changes in a cell, it can affect various stages of cellular communication such as reception, signal transduction, and perception. If a sorting signal drifts due to a change in the relative motion between the source and the receiver, it may result in incomplete reception, as the signal might no longer be accurately received by the target receptors. Moreover, aberrant signaling, which is commonly observed in tumor cells, demonstrates that both the initiation and termination of the Signal Cascade are critically important.

Different pathways can result in a heterogeneous response because most cellular proteins can trigger various downstream events depending on intracellular conditions. A single pathway can diversify towards different endpoints due to an interplay between multiple signaling pathways, and the same ligand can initiate various signals in different cell types. The complicated nature of signaling pathways arises from this variability in protein expression amongst different cell types and the integration of signals from multiple receptors, dictating that numerous extrinsic conditions are met before a cell initiates a specific response.

Ultimately, to cease a cellular response, signal molecules need to be either degraded or their production stopped to allow dissociation from their receptors, thus halting the response. This principle is crucial since the binding of signals to their receptors is reversible, allowing the cell to regulate its responses effectively, ensuring they are timely and appropriate to the organism's needs.

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