Cell to cell signaling refers to the transfer of information from one cell to another. This is also called cell signaling or intercellular communication. The ability of cells to perceive and correctly respond to their microenvironment is the basis of development, tissue repair, and immunity as well as normal tissue homeostasis. Errors in cellular information processing are responsible for diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and diabetes. The cells of the body communicate with each other through some chemical substances called chemical messengers. These chemical messengers are extracellular signaling molecules e.g., hormones and neurotransmitters. Cells signals by releasing these molecules that bind to receptor proteins located in the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, or nucleus.
This signal is transduced into the activation, or inactivation, of one or more intercellular messengers by interacting with receptors. Receptors interact with a variety of intracellular signaling proteins, including kinases, phosphatases, and GTP-binding proteins (G proteins). These signaling proteins interact with and regulate the activity of target proteins and thereby modulate cellular function.