G protein-coupled receptor roles in cell migration and cell death decisions

Recognition of external conditions and the elicitation of appropriate responses are critical to a cell's ability to adjust to various developmental and environmental cues. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large class of receptors that act to relay external information into the cell by initiating signaling pathways that allow the cell to adapt to its present conditions. There are numerous ligands that activate GPCRs to initiate a multitude of intracellular signaling cascades involved in critical decisions including cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, migration, survival, and death. This article focuses on the signaling pathways involved in cell migration, survival, and death decisions with an emphasis on germ cells from various organisms.