Cellular Signaling Fidelity describes the accuracy and reliability with which a cell receives, transduces, and executes the command delivered by an extracellular signal, such as a hormone or growth factor. High fidelity ensures the appropriate downstream response occurs without crosstalk or degradation of the message over time. Low fidelity often underlies pathological states like insulin resistance or receptor desensitization.
Origin
Derived from information theory applied to biology, “Fidelity” refers to the faithfulness of signal transmission, a concept borrowed from engineering. In endocrinology, this relates directly to the specificity of receptor binding and the integrity of second messenger cascades. Maintaining this precision is paramount for coordinated physiological responses.
Mechanism
Fidelity is maintained through the precise regulation of receptor expression, phosphorylation states of signaling intermediates, and the timely action of phosphatases that terminate signals. For instance, in steroid hormone action, the nuclear receptor must correctly bind to specific hormone response elements on the DNA to initiate transcription without activating off-target genes. Defects in scaffolding proteins or aberrant internalization of activated receptors can rapidly diminish this crucial accuracy.
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