describing a type of cellular signal whereby a chemical messenger is secreted by a cell into its environment and feeds back to elicit a response in the same cell. For example, some nerve cells have autoreceptors that are affected by neurotransmitter molecules that are found in, and released by the same cell. Compare with endocrine- paracrine.
AUTOCRINE: “An autocrine serves to signal its own cell to respond – as opposed to signaling another cell to do so.”