Cyclic AMP
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a second messenger used in cell signalling. It is synthesised from ATP by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase.
The concentration within a cell of cyclic AMP is normally around 10-7 however an extracellular signal can raise those levels within the cell by a factor of 20 within seconds.[1] Production of cyclic AMP results in the activation of Protein kinase A, which triggers cellular responses by activating enzymes, stimulating cellular secretion or opening ion channels[2].