Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cellular signal transduction is initiated by the binding of extracellular ligands to membrane receptors. Receptors are often expressed in excess, and cells are activated when a small number of receptors bind ligands. Intracellular signal proteins are activated at a high level soon after ligand binding, and the activation level decreases in a negative feedback manner without ligand clearance. Why are excess receptors required? What is the physiological significance of the negative feedback regulation? RESULTS: To answer these questions, we developed a Monte Carlo simulation program to kinetically analyze signal pathways using the model in which ligands are bound to receptors and then membrane complexes with other membrane proteins are formed. Our simulation results showed that excess receptors are not required for cell activation when the dissociation constant (Kd) of the ligand-receptor complex is 10-10 M or less. However, such low Kd values cause delayed signal shutdown after ligand clearance from the extracellular space. In contrast, when the Kd was 10-8 M and the ligand level was less than 1 muM, excess receptors were required for prompt signal propagation and rapid signal cessation after ligand clearance. An initial increase in active cytosolic signal proteins to a high level is required for rapid activation of cellular signal pathways, and a low level of active signal proteins is essential for the rapid shutdown of signal pathways after ligand clearance. CONCLUSION: The present kinetic analysis revealed that excess receptors and negative feedback regulation promote activation and cessation of signal transduction with a low amount of extracellular ligand.