autocrine

Term: autocrine

Literally meaning: “self-affecting”

Origin: Anc Greek

αυτό-/auto-(=combining form meaning “one's own” or “by oneself”) >αυτός/autos(=self, same)

+εκκρίνω/ecrino(=secrete)>εκ/ec>(=prefix meaning “out”, “ from”) + κρίνω/crino(=judge, separate)

Coined/History

(?)

Definition

Autocrine is the type of signaling in which a hormone secreted by a cell acts upon the cell that produced it.