Day after day, your body performs complex tasks. Whether the purpose is to maintain your body temperature or move your hand away from a heat source, your trillions of cells do what’s needed to help you function. Their communication with each other is called cell-signalling the network needed to send and receive these messages is complex.

It consists of an army of messenger molecules to spread the signal across and between cells (signalling molecules). Cell-signalling molecules come in multiple forms. Sometimes the signalling happens within the cell itself. In other cases, cells send messages to neighbouring cells or to other, distant cells. These signals can be:

• Chemical compounds (e.g., nutrients and toxins);
• Electrical impulses (e.g., neurotransmitters inducting electrical signals along nerves);
• Mechanical stimuli (e.g., stretching of the stomach to signal you are full).

The purpose of cell-signalling is to respond and adapt to your internal and external environment. Thus, properly functioning cell-signalling pathways are essential to maintaining and promoting health. When cell-signalling pathways work well, your body runs smoothly. And the environment – internal and external – can impact your cells.

They require specific conditions to make the reactions work, including proper temperature, pH, and energy status. Some lifestyle habits can negatively affect proper signalling, including an unhealthy diet, too much or too little exercise, environmental factors, exposure to toxins and the normal aging process. Recent research has shown, however, that a healthy lifestyle and a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, proteins and healthy fats can support cell-signalling… and your health.

To your Health. Jessica & Bruno

Source: Unlocking the secrets of cell-signalling, National Library of Medicine.

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