• Question: What controls the cell processes?

    Asked by Elicabanas to Tom, Paul, Natasha, Ildiko, Ester, Eoin on 8 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Natasha Myhill

      Natasha Myhill answered on 8 Nov 2017:

      I think ultimately the cell’s DNA controls it. The DNA in the cell can have different genes switched on and off and depending on what is switched on depends on the process the cell is doing. But in reality, everything happens very quickly and it is all a big circle – DNA needs signals to decide what to switch on or off!

    • Photo: Ester Gil Vazquez

      Ester Gil Vazquez answered on 9 Nov 2017:

      As Natasha said, it is very complex: you may think DNA, but proteins and RNA are in turn affecting the DNA. I guess you can say it is the signals that the cell receives from other cells and the environment which control the processes. They are the ones directing the proteins/RNA/DNA and telling them what to do!

    • Photo: Paul McKeegan

      Paul McKeegan answered on 9 Nov 2017:

      Don’t forget metabolism! Cells have to respond to the available nutrients to provide enough energy to perform other functions, and we need metabolism to convert bases into DNA and amino acids into proteins, and then for the proteins to do their jobs in the cell! But of course, the DNA contains the blueprint for what the cell is and what it needs to do. Everything is connected through the force. Oops – I mean, through energy.

    • Photo: Ildiko Somorjai

      Ildiko Somorjai answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      ooh so tricky! great answers from the others. I would add that the “environment” can also control the cell….cells can actually “sense” things around them like tension, changes in pressure, how many cells are actually around them (their neighbours)….it can affect where they migrate, whether or not they divide or die and what they become-so what kind of neuron for example.

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