Embryonic stem cells can be induced in the laboratory to differentiate into muscle, nerve, pancreatic, and other specialized cell types. It has recently become possible to trigger the dedifferentiation of somatic cells back into pluripotent cells (so-called induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells) by artificially enhancing the production of a relatively small number of key transcriptional factors known to be required for maintenance of pluripotency. Examples of such transcription factors are OCT4 and NANOG. The production of OCT4 and NANOG (and other key regulatory proteins) is stimulated by a transcription factor known as FOXP1, a member of the Forkhead family of DNA-binding proteins. There are two isoforms of FOXP1.

Which of the following statement regarding to FOXP1 is incorrect?

#Question id: 1386

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

The ability of a population of fibroblasts to migrate along the surface of a tissue culture dish depends on adhesion between the cell surface and the extracellular matrix molecules coating the dish. The dish is coated with laminin, and the only cell-surface protein capable of binding laminin is a cell-adhesion protein called an integrin. Integrins are integral plasma-membrane proteins that function as heterodimers. Under these conditions the rate at which a fibroblast can migrate along the laminin coated culture dish is proportional to the strength of adhesion between the cell and the laminin substrate. The table below lists the rate of cell migration observed for fibroblasts genetically engineered to generate the indicated phenotypes. One explanation for the effect of overexpression of the cytoplasmic domain of the integrin beta subunit is that this domain normally functions to bind a cytoplasmic factor necessary for integrin function. Which of the following would be the most informative experiment to identify the cytoplasmic factor?

#Question id: 1385

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

The ability of a population of fibroblasts to migrate along the surface of a tissue culture dish depends on adhesion between the cell surface and the extracellular matrix molecules coating the dish. The dish is coated with laminin, and the only cell-surface protein capable of binding laminin is a cell-adhesion protein called an integrin. Integrins are integral plasma-membrane proteins that function as heterodimers. Under these conditions the rate at which a fibroblast can migrate along the laminin coated culture dish is proportional to the strength of adhesion between the cell and the laminin substrate. The table below lists the rate of cell migration observed for fibroblasts genetically engineered to generate the indicated phenotypes.

 Which of the following is the most likely explanation for failure of overexpression of the integrin alpha subunit to alter the rate of fibroblast migration?

#Question id: 1384

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

Mutations that block expression of the E-cadherin gene are thought to be an important step in metastasis. To better understand how loss of E-cadherin contributes to metastasis, scientists created two cell lines that differed in their expression of E-cadherin. One cell line expressed normal E-cadherin, but at 10% of the usual levels. The other cell line expressed normal E-cadherin at the usual levels, and also, at high levels a mutant form that included the cytoplasmic domain but lacked the rest of the protein. Both cell lines exhibited strongly reduced cell adhesion in culture. However, only the cell line with reduced expression of normal E-cadherin metastasized when introduced into mice.

Which of the following hypotheses is most consistent with the observations on cell adhesion and metastasis in these cell lines?

#Question id: 1383

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

Match the following correctly

#Question id: 1382

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

Following statements are regarding to cell-cell and cell–extracellular matrix junctions and their adhesion molecules.

A. Adherens junctions and desmosomes are integrin-containing anchoring junctions that bind the membranes of adjacent cells, giving strength and rigidity to the entire tissue.

B. Hemidesmosomes are cadherin-containing anchoring junctions that attach cells to elements of the underlying extracellular matrix.

C. Integrins are a large family of αβ heterodimeric cell-surface proteins that mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions and inside-out and outside-in signaling in numerous tissues.

D. Tight junctions block the diffusion of proteins and some lipids in the plane of the plasma membrane, contributing to the polarity of epithelial cells. They also limit and regulate the extracellular (paracellular) flow of water and solutes from one side of the epithelium to the other.

Which of the following statements are incorrect?

#Question id: 1381

#Unit 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling

Match each definition with given terms