Autocriene

Autocriene is a term that appears in a subset of biomedical discussions to describe signaling events in which a cell produces signaling molecules that act primarily on the same cell or on cells within a tightly localized microenvironment. It is not a widely standardized term, and in many sources it is treated as synonymous with autocrine signaling or as a closely related concept that emphasizes spatial confinement.

Mechanistically, a cell releases ligands that bind to receptors on the secreting cell, initiating intracellular signaling pathways that can influence proliferation, differentiation, survival, or metabolic activity. The signaling can reinforce the cell’s current state through positive feedback or dampen activity through negative feedback. In tissues, autocriene signaling is often conceived as operating within microdomains at the cell surface or in the surrounding pericellular space, contributing to precise local regulation.

Usage varies among researchers: some use autocriene to highlight self-targeted, highly localized signaling, while others view it as functionally indistinguishable from autocrine signaling. Because there is no universal definition, the term remains uncommon and is not a standard category in mainstream physiology textbooks or databases.

See also: autocrine signaling, paracrine signaling, intracrine.