Le Roith D, Shiloach J, Berelowitz M, Frohman L A, Liotta A S, Krieger D T, Roth J
Fed Proc. 1983 Jun;42(9):2602-7.
Peptides very similar to hormones and other messenger molecules of vertebrates have been detected in extracts of unicellular eukaryotes (and prokaryotes). We present arguments to suggest the possibility that these molecules 1) originated evolutionarily in unicellular microbes, 2) serve as intercellular messenger molecules in these organisms, and 3) represent the phylogenetic ancestors of the hormones and neurotransmitters as well as paracrine and other tissue factors of the vertebrates. We suggest that the biochemical elements of intercellular communication arose very early in evolution and are highly conserved; evolution largely changed the anatomy, i.e., the nature of the secretory cell, the target cell, and the fluid compartment that carries the messenger molecule from one to the other. Such an approach suggests a more rational relationship between different modes of intercellular chemical signaling in vertebrates.
在单细胞真核生物（以及原核生物）的提取物中已检测到与脊椎动物的激素和其他信使分子非常相似的肽。我们提出论据表明，这些分子可能：1）在进化上起源于单细胞微生物；2）在这些生物体中作为细胞间信使分子；3）代表脊椎动物激素、神经递质以及旁分泌和其他组织因子的系统发育祖先。我们认为，细胞间通讯的生化成分在进化早期就已出现且高度保守；进化主要改变了解剖结构，即分泌细胞、靶细胞以及将信使分子从一个细胞传递到另一个细胞的流体隔室的性质。这种方法揭示了脊椎动物细胞间化学信号传导不同模式之间更合理的关系。
