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.
