Final answer:
The process by which signaling molecules effect change inside a cell after binding to receptors is called signal transduction, involving a signaling pathway or cascade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The overall process by which information carried by a signaling molecule is translated into changes that occur inside the cell is called signal transduction. The ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, initiating a signaling pathway or cascade inside the cell.
This series of events involves the phosphorylation of molecules by enzymes known as kinases, which alter the activity of proteins by changing their shape. Furthermore, second messengers like calcium ions and cyclic AMP are involved in transmitting signals within the cell to produce a response. Signal transduction is distinct from internal receptor interactions that directly affect DNA in the nucleus.