secretorisch

Secretorisch is an adjective used in specialized German-language scientific writing to describe anything pertaining to secretion, the biological process by which cells and tissues produce and release substances. The term is formed from the Latin root secretio and the -isch suffix and is commonly encountered in physiology, histology, and pathology.

In anatomy and cell biology, secretorisch describes secretory cells (such as goblet cells), exocrine glands, and the secretory pathways that move molecules from the endoplasmic reticulum through the Golgi apparatus to vesicles and ultimately out of the cell by exocytosis. It covers the cellular mechanisms and structures involved in producing and delivering secretions, including enzymes, mucus, hormones, and other substances.

In immunohematology and related fields, secretorisch can relate to secretor status—the ability to secrete blood group antigens into bodily fluids like saliva. Secretors differ from non-secretors, a trait influenced by the FUT2 gene and relevant in disease susceptibility and forensic analyses.

The term is largely confined to scientific contexts and is less common in everyday language. Its English counterpart is secretory.