messenger molecules
nounUK /ˈmɛsɪndʒə ˈmɒlɪkjuːlz/
US /ˈmɛsɪndʒər ˈmɑːlɪkjuːlz/
Tiny things in your body that carry messages from one place to another.
Messenger molecules tell your cells what to do and when to do it.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Molecules such as hormones that travel through the blood to affect distant organs.
Insulin is a messenger molecule that tells the body to take in sugar.
3. Molecules like neurotransmitters that carry signals between nerve cells.
Dopamine acts as a messenger molecule in the brain.
4. Molecules used by cells to communicate during growth and immune responses.
Cytokines are messenger molecules that help immune cells talk to each other.