• Question: how can cells talk to each other?

    Asked by hannahwinfieldxox to Helen, Jasmine, Dr D on 15 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by nickskylark, stickyrow, adeeleo, gandialf, hazattack, 10rainbirdb, moodycow, jinxstr.
    • Photo: Jasmine Penny

      Jasmine Penny answered on 15 Jun 2013:

      What a great question! Just as we talk to each other using different methods such as email, phone and face-to-face, so do cells. Different cells in different parts of the body use a range of methods to talk to each other. The cells I look at need to have direct contact with each other so they know what they are doing. If there isn’t a cell nearby, these cells will change their shape and stretch out until they find another cell. Another way cells talk to each other is to send out messages. Like we send each other parcels and letters in the post, cells can send out signals or little molecules to other cells to let them know what to do.

    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 17 Jun 2013:

      And they can also send out bits of themselves. Little balloons (called vesicles) are released from the cell surface and they can float away to other places and talk to cells at a distance. These balloons can contain all sorts of messengers including protein, lipid, sugars and nucleic acid.

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