Final answer:
Signal transduction involves three steps: ligand binding to the receptor, signal transduction, and cellular response.
Step-by-step explanation:
Signal transduction is the process by which a signal is converted into a cellular response. There are three main steps that underlie this process:
- Ligand binding to the receptor: When a signaling molecule, or ligand, binds to a receptor on the cell surface, it triggers a conformational change in the receptor.
- Signal transduction: The conformational change in the receptor activates a series of intracellular signaling molecules, such as kinases, which transmit the signal through the cell.
- Cellular response: The signaling molecules activate various cellular processes, such as gene expression or enzyme activation, leading to a specific response within the cell.