sekretorinen

Sekretorinen is an adjective used in biology and medicine to describe anything related to secretion, the process by which cells, tissues or organs produce and release substances such as enzymes, mucus, hormones or other products. In Finnish scientific language, the term is applied to cells, tissues or glands that perform secretion and to the processes themselves, for example sekretorinen eritys or sekretorinen toiminta.

Etymology and usage: The word stems from the concept of secretion and is common in cytology, histology, physiology and clinical literature. It is typically combined with nouns such as rauhanen (gland), solu (cell), kudos (tissue) or järjestelmä (system) to specify the secretory function. The form sekretorinen is distinct from related terms describing other cellular activities, and it is used to contrast secretory processes with non-secretory cellular work.

Biological context: In biology, secretory activity is central to both exocrine and endocrine systems. Exocrine glands, including salivary glands, pancreatic acinar cells and goblet cells, are sekretorisen erityksen tekijöitä that release substances into ducts or surfaces. Endocrine cells also perform secretion, but their products—hormones—enter the bloodstream rather than a duct. Secretory mechanisms can be merocrine, apocrine or holocrine, reflecting different modes of vesicle release and cell participation.

Clinical relevance: Alterations in secretory function underlie many diseases. For instance, defective exocrine secretions contribute to cystic fibrosis and pancreatitis, while impaired endocrine secretion is central to diabetes mellitus. Understanding sekretorinen function supports diagnostics, treatment strategies and the study of normal physiology.

See also: exocrine gland, endocrine gland, secretion, secretory vesicles.