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Peptide Cascade Signaling

Meaning

Peptide cascade signaling is a complex, sequential biological process initiated by the binding of a small protein or peptide hormone to its specific cell-surface receptor, triggering a rapid, amplified chain reaction of intracellular events. This cascade often involves multiple phosphorylation steps, ultimately leading to a profound and diverse cellular response, such as gene expression changes or enzyme activation. Peptide cascade signaling is a characteristic, highly efficient mechanism of action for numerous critical hormones, including growth factors and hypothalamic releasing hormones.