Cell Signaling: Interactive Quizzes for Year 12 Biology Students

Question 1

What is the purpose of a protein kinase?

Accepted Answer

To phosphorylate proteins

Answer

To dephosphorylate proteins

Answer

To activate proteins

Answer

To deactivate proteins

Question 2

What is the role of a transcription factor in cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

To bind to DNA and regulate gene expression

Answer

To activate or deactivate proteins

Answer

To amplify the signal

Answer

To transmit the signal from the receptor to the target cell

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a type of hormone receptor found on the cell membrane?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear receptor

Answer

G protein-coupled receptor

Answer

Ion channel-linked receptor

Answer

Ligand-gated ion channel

Question 4

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a second messenger that plays a role in which cellular process?

Accepted Answer

Glycogen breakdown

Answer

Protein synthesis

Answer

Cell division

Answer

Apoptosis

Question 5

The binding of a hormone to its membrane-bound receptor can initiate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Activation of a G protein

Answer

Direct regulation of gene expression

Answer

Inhibition of an enzyme

Answer

Stimulation of protein dephosphorylation

Question 6

Which of the following statements about signal transduction pathways is accurate?

Accepted Answer

They can involve multiple steps and cross-talk.

Answer

They are always linear pathways.

Answer

They are only activated by hormonal signals.

Answer

They are not essential for cellular function.

Question 7

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is an example of which type of hormone receptor?

Accepted Answer

Tyrosine kinase-linked receptor

Answer

G protein-coupled receptor

Answer

Nuclear receptor

Answer

Steroid hormone receptor

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a potential consequence of abnormal cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

Normal cell growth

Answer

Cancer

Answer

Diabetes

Answer

Autoimmune diseases

Question 9

Receptor antagonists are used as a therapeutic strategy to treat certain diseases.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 10

In a hormone-mediated signaling pathway, which event occurs first?

Accepted Answer

Receptor binding

Answer

Second messenger activation

Answer

Cellular response

Answer

Signal transduction

Question 11

Which type of receptor is activated by hydrophobic hormones?

Accepted Answer

Steroid hormone receptor

Answer

Ligand-gated ion channel

Answer

G protein-coupled receptor

Answer

Tyrosine kinase receptor

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a function of protein kinases in signal transduction pathways?

Accepted Answer

Binding to DNA

Answer

Phosphorylating proteins

Answer

Degrading proteins

Answer

Generating second messengers

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a major category of cell signaling pathways?

Accepted Answer

Neurotransmission

Answer

Hormonal signaling

Answer

Paracrine signaling

Answer

Autocrine signaling

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a role of cyclic AMP (cAMP) as a second messenger?

Accepted Answer

Inhibits cellular functions

Answer

Activates protein kinase A

Answer

Regulates gene transcription

Answer

Supports cell growth and proliferation

Question 15

Which disorder is associated with an impaired response to insulin signaling?

Accepted Answer

Type 2 diabetes

Answer

Type 1 diabetes

Answer

Cystic fibrosis

Answer

Sickle cell anemia

Question 16

A key distinction between endocrine and paracrine signaling lies in:

Accepted Answer

Distance of target cells

Answer

Nature of the signaling molecules

Answer

Response time

Answer

Specificity of the response

Question 17

Which receptor type is primarily involved in the direct activation of ion channels?

Accepted Answer

Ligand-gated ion channels

Answer

G protein-coupled receptors

Answer

Tyrosine kinase receptors

Answer

Steroid hormone receptors

Question 18

Which type of receptor is located within the cytoplasm or nucleus of a cell?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear receptor

Answer

Ion channel receptor

Answer

G protein-coupled receptor

Answer

Enzyme-linked receptor

Question 19

Which second messenger is associated with the mobilization of intracellular calcium ions?

Accepted Answer

Inositol trisphosphate (IP3)

Answer

Cyclic AMP (cAMP)

Answer

Diacylglycerol (DAG)

Answer

Guanosine triphosphate (GTP)

Question 20

Which signaling molecule is associated with paracrine signaling, where the target cell is in close proximity to the signaling cell?

Accepted Answer

Cytokines

Answer

Insulin

Answer

Thyroid hormone

Answer

Neurotransmitters

Question 21

Which of the following functions is carried out by protein kinases in cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

Phosphorylating proteins

Answer

Hydrolyzing ATP

Answer

Binding ligands to receptors

Answer

Transporting molecules across the cell membrane

Question 22

Which cell signaling pathway is specifically involved in regulating cell growth and division?

Accepted Answer

MAP kinase pathway

Answer

cAMP pathway

Answer

PI3K pathway

Answer

TGF-beta pathway

Question 23

Which type of cell communication involves the direct transmission of an electrical signal between cells?

Accepted Answer

Electrical signaling

Answer

Endocrine signaling

Answer

Paracrine signaling

Answer

Autocrine signaling

Question 24

Which of the following is an example of feedback inhibition in hormonal regulation?

Accepted Answer

Progesterone inhibiting ovulation

Answer

Insulin stimulating glucose uptake

Answer

Adrenaline increasing heart rate

Answer

Thyroid hormone stimulating metabolism

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a type of cell signaling pathway?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic nervous system activation

Answer

Endocrine signaling

Answer

Paracrine signaling

Answer

Autocrine signaling

Question 26

What is the main function of a receptor in cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

To bind specific molecules called ligands

Answer

To amplify the signal

Answer

To transmit the signal to intracellular targets

Answer

To degrade the signal

Question 27

What is the primary role of G proteins in signal transduction pathways?

Accepted Answer

To amplify the signal

Answer

To activate receptors

Answer

To hydrolyze GTP

Answer

To bind to transcription factors

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway?

Accepted Answer

Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathway

Answer

cAMP-dependent pathway

Answer

PI3K-AKT pathway

Answer

Jak-STAT pathway

Question 29

What is the primary function of protein kinases in cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

To phosphorylate proteins

Answer

To dephosphorylate proteins

Answer

To bind to DNA

Answer

To synthesize proteins

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a function of cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

To generate energy for the cell

Answer

To coordinate cell activities

Answer

To regulate gene expression

Answer

To control metabolism

Question 31

What is the difference between a positive and a negative feedback loop in cell signaling?

Accepted Answer

Positive feedback loops amplify the signal, while negative feedback loops dampen the signal.

Answer

Negative feedback loops amplify the signal, while positive feedback loops dampen the signal.

Answer

Positive feedback loops are faster acting than negative feedback loops.

Answer

There is no difference between positive and negative feedback loops.

Question 32

Which enzyme is responsible for synthesizing the second messenger cAMP from ATP?

Accepted Answer

Adenylate cyclase

Answer

Phospholipase C

Answer

Protein kinase A

Answer

Guanylate cyclase

Question 33

Which of the following is a downstream target of the MAPK pathway?

Accepted Answer

Transcription factors

Answer

Phosphatases

Answer

Kinases

Answer

Ion channels

Question 34

The term used to describe the process by which a signal molecule triggers a cellular response upon binding to its receptor is:

Accepted Answer

Transduction

Answer

Amplification

Answer

Integration

Answer

Termination

Question 35

Which of the following hormones is classified as a non-steroid hormone?

Accepted Answer

Insulin

Answer

Estrogen

Answer

Cortisol

Answer

Testosterone

Question 36

The primary role of a negative feedback loop in cellular signaling is to:

Accepted Answer

Maintain a stable internal environment (homeostasis)

Answer

Enhance the initial signal strength

Answer

End the cellular response abruptly

Answer

Activate a secondary signaling pathway

Question 37

A defining characteristic of receptor tyrosine kinases is their:

Accepted Answer

Inherent kinase activity

Answer

Single transmembrane domain

Answer

Coupling to G proteins

Answer

Ligand-gated ion channel structure

Question 38

Which of the following functions is primarily associated with protein kinases?

Accepted Answer

Phosphorylating specific proteins

Answer

Breaking down ATP molecules

Answer

Binding to G proteins

Answer

Generating second messengers

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a hormone?

Accepted Answer

Acts on nearby cells

Answer

Targets specific cells

Answer

Released into the bloodstream

Answer

Can have long-lasting effects

Question 40

Which of the following is an example of a second messenger?

Accepted Answer

Cyclic AMP

Answer

Insulin

Answer

Testosterone

Answer

Epinephrine

Question 41

What is the main difference between a receptor and an enzyme?

Accepted Answer

Receptors bind ligands; enzymes catalyze reactions

Answer

Enzymes bind ligands; receptors catalyze reactions

Answer

Receptors and enzymes both bind ligands and catalyze reactions

Answer

Receptors and enzymes are unrelated proteins

Question 42

Which of the following is a function of protein kinases?

Accepted Answer

Phosphorylate other proteins

Answer

Dephosphorylate other proteins

Answer

Bind to DNA

Answer

Hydrolyse ATP

Question 43

How do steroid hormones enter their target cells?

Accepted Answer

By diffusing through the plasma membrane

Answer

By binding to receptors on the cell surface

Answer

By endocytosis

Answer

By exocytosis

Question 44

Which of the following is not a characteristic of hormones?

Accepted Answer

They act locally on the same cell that secreted them.

Answer

They travel through the bloodstream.

Answer

They are produced by endocrine glands.

Answer

They bind to specific receptors on target cells.

Question 45

What is the second messenger molecule produced by adenylate cyclase?

Accepted Answer

cAMP

Answer

Ca2+

Answer

IP3

Answer

DAG

Question 46

Which of the following is a key event in the MAPK signal transduction pathway?

Accepted Answer

Phosphorylation of MEK by Raf

Answer

Hydrolysis of GTP by G protein

Answer

Binding of ligand to the receptor

Answer

Activation of Ras by GEF

Question 47

What is the function of a protein kinase?

Accepted Answer

To add phosphate groups to specific amino acids on target proteins.

Answer

To synthesize new proteins from amino acids.

Answer

To cleave proteins into smaller fragments.

Question 48

What is the primary function of the extracellular matrix?

Accepted Answer

To provide structural support and cell adhesion.

Answer

To transport nutrients and waste products.

Answer

To regulate gene expression.

Question 49

Which type of cell junction allows for the direct passage of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells?

Accepted Answer

Gap junction

Answer

Hemidesmosome

Answer

Desmosome

Answer

Tight junction