Hi the answer to your question would be the signals may be transmitted by Integrins.
Hope this helps.
Phytoplankton - zooplankton- small fish -mammal
This is the food chain of the organisms.
From phytoplankton,which are microorganism, they are eaten by zooplankton. Zooplankton are heterotrophic planktons such as jellyfish and forams. Next to this is small fish, they eat those zooplankton. Lastly, the mammals will eat those fish.
It doesn't stay up there for long and there are several different ways that it can get up there. hope this helps:)