title: Consequences of hormone-induced desensitization of adenylate cyclase in intact cells.
abstract: A hypothesis on the role of the hormone-induced desensitization of adenylate cyclase is proposed. It is suggested that the desensitization process could provide the cell with a highly efficient cyclic AMP system for transmitting hormone stimulus without requiring a large energy consumption. Theoretical considerations show that in fact the desensitization phenomenon allows the cyclic AMP system to present a good compromise between the efficiency and economy requirements of the cells.
mesh_terms: D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002477:Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases