autocrineadj.
/ˈɔːtə(ʊ)krʌɪn/, /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)krɪn/, U.S. /ˈɔdoʊˌkrin/, /ˈɑdoʊˌkrin/, /ˈɔdoʊˌkraɪn/, /ˈɑdoʊˌkraɪn/; see also auto- comb. form1 Physiology.
Designating secretion that is carried out by cells which have receptors for the substance they secrete; of, relating to, or carrying out this type of secretion.
ΚΠ
1980 M. B. Sporn & G. J. Todaro in New Eng. Jrnl. Med. 9 Oct. 879/1 We would like to propose the term ‘autocrine secretion’ for this type of self-stimulation, whereby a cell secretes a hormone-like substance for which the cell itself has functional receptors.
1991 Sci. Amer. Nov. 69/2 Given the numerous polypeptides now known to be secreted by keratinocytes, there may be more than one with an autocrine effect.
2004 Biophysical Jrnl. 86 10/1 Autocrine cells are capable of both producing signaling molecules and responding to them.
Compounds
autocrine motility factor n. a cytokine that stimulates the motility of cells (typically malignant tumour cells) that produce it.Autocrine motility factor has now been shown to be identical with phosphoglucose isomerase, an enzyme involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.
ΚΠ
1986 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83 3302/1 We have..examined invasive tumor cells for the elaboration of what we term ‘autocrine motility factors’ (AMF), which can stimulate the motility of the same cells.
2006 Jrnl. Pathol. 210 431 To clarify the involvement of autocrine motility factor (AMF) in the phenotype and biological profiles of human lung carcinomas, we analysed protein and mRNA expression in a total of 180 cases.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1980