Autocrine Signaling: Definition, Function & Example

Autocrine Signaling is a cell signaling process in the human body. Signaling is the process that will help to comminate one cell with another. There are several cell signaling processes are present in the human body. Among them, Autocrine Signaling is a separate cell signaling process. Often a cell sends signals to other cells, that cell might present at a distance or place near to the said cell. But the autocrine signaling is completely different from those signaling processes.

Different organs are connected with the brain with the help of the nervous system, but there are no nervous systems present in between the cells. But the cells need to interact with each from time to time. For all that cases, chemical elements help to do so. Depending upon the connection between the cells, there are some divisions present. Among those divisions, Autocrine Signaling is one of the major types of cell signaling.

What is Autocrine Signaling?

Autocrine is a special cell signaling process in the body. Not only in the human body, can such a process be seen in other animal bodies also. Scientists often termed the signaling as Self Signaling. As the name suggests, the signaling process can be done on the same cell only. That means in cell signaling, the chemicals are used to communicate with some other cells. It might be a cell that is located near the secreted cells. Or sometimes, the chemical needs to travel a long distance to work. But in this case, the secreted cell is itself targeted.

That means the chemical which is secreted from the cell is going to accept by the same cell. These special types of cells are not going to be attached to different cells in their location. Sometimes, a cell needs to perform some functions on its own, but there are no commanding elements present in the cells. So, they secrete some chemicals from it & when they will be attached to the same cell the function will be done.

In Autocrine signaling, the chemicals which are secreted from the cells are known as Autocrine Chemicals. Often, they might be hormones or some local chemicals which react in the cells. And the receptors which are going to accept those chemicals are known as the Autocrine Receptor. With the collaboration of the chemicals & the receptors, the Autocrine Signaling process will happen.

Characteristics of Autocrine Signaling

• In Autocrine Signaling, the targeted cells & the secretion cells are the same. The chemicals are going to be accepted by the same cell form where it is secreted.
• In Autocrine Signaling, the Autocrine Chemicals have very less life to live. As they are going to destroy soon, they need to be reacted fast.
• In Autocrine Signaling, the chemical secretes from the cell mainly when there is a need to command the same cell. This process is executed for the welfare of some cells.
• In Autocrine Signaling, the chemicals do need not any medium to transfer to the targeted cell. In Endocrine Signaling, the chemicals need to travel along with the help of blood vessels.

Importance of Autocrine Signaling

Autocrine Signaling is one of the most important cell signaling processes. Like other cell signaling processes, it doesn’t work on any other cells in the body. This process helps to provide more importance to the originated cell itself. Sometimes, the cell needs to be modified by some means. It is not a good process to depend upon some other cells for the basic needs of the cells. Autocrine Signaling helps to fulfill the basic need of the cell.

In the nervous system, the main component brain has the power to think & command it and other components also. But in the case of the cell signaling process, there is no central commanding element is present. So, the cells should find out a process to overcome this challenge. Autocrine signaling is the result of such challenges. With the help of Autocrine Signaling, the cells perform some necessary tasks for the maintenance of the body. So, the importance of Autocrine Signaling can’t be defined with words.

Mechanism of Autocrine Signaling

Autocrine Signaling follows a simple method. Here, the secreted cells are going to fix with the same cell. So, the secretion of the chemicals can be done here uniquely. The secretion of the cells has been done near the receptor where the chemicals are going to attach. The chemicals have very less life, so they should be fast enough to complete the process. That is the reason; the chemicals are secreted near the receptors of the cells.

Once, the chemicals are being secreted from the cells, they will be promptly accepted by the receptors. In such cells, there are certain kinds of receptors present that can only accept the chemicals which are coming from the same cell. When the receptor accepts those chemicals, the chemicals are decoded. And inside that chemical whatever the message has passed is now ready to be executed. Hence, the cell can perform some functions on its own with the help of Autocrine Signaling.

Scientists believe that after the Autocrine Signaling process is completed, the cells can perform two things. Either the cells can develop the chemicals again & store them in the cells for further use. Or they can simply let the chemicals be decoded after getting the message. But when the process needs to be done repeatedly, the chemicals can be stored in the cell with the same message. Hence, the same process can be executed more & more times till there is the need to do so.

Examples of Autocrine Signaling

Growth of Liver

The growth of the liver cell is not ordinary as the other organs we can see in the body. In the liver, there are no specific cell divisions that occur from time to time. The cell division process can be done only when there is a lack of cells present in the organ. If the cells grow continuously, then the probability of a large liver might be possible. So, the automatic growth of the liver is disabled.

When there is any damage to the liver & some cells need to be produced, then the liver uses the Autocrine Signaling process. At that time, special chemicals are secreted from the cells of the liver & they are going to act on the same cell. At that time only, cell division can be possible in the liver. For that reason, the development of the liver is a very slow process. When the liver needs growth in it, then only the process is possible.

Immune System

In the immune system, Autocrine Signaling works also. In the immune system, we can find out different cell signaling process works. It might be paracrine signaling or Autocrine signaling. In the immune system, when a foreign element enters the body, the cells get excited with the help of paracrine signaling. But there is a use of Autocrine signaling in the immune system.

When the T-Lymphocyte cells are fighting against the foreign elements in the body, they might use the Autocrine signaling process. During the defensive process, if the T-Lymphocyte cells can’t able to stop the foreign element it uses the Autocrine signaling process for the proliferation of it. Hence, it gets some more strength to fight against the external element. Sometimes, Autocrine signaling helps to generate some new T-Lymphocyte cells in the body in emergency times.

Growth of Cancer Cells

Not only the simple cells in the body but also some harmful elements use the Autocrine Signaling process. The growth of the cancer cell is one of the examples. In cancer cells, the growth is not regulated by any components in the body. Rather, some components of the body want to reduce the presence of such cells in the body. So, the growth of such cells depended upon their own need. So, for those cases, the Autocrine Signaling process needs to be followed.

The base layer of the cancer cells has some genetic material that helps to work with the Autocrine Signaling process. The base layer starts sending one chemical to the same cell in the body. And hence, the cells start making growth. And this process is done continuously. The elements that are needed for the growth of the cells are not destroyed after decoding the command. The same chemical is used in the body for the rapid development of the cells. In this way, the tumor forms in the body.

FAQs on Autocrine Signaling

Q1: What is Autocrine Signaling?

Answer:

Autocrine Signaling is a process by which a cell can command itself by secreting some chemicals from it. And the same chemical is going to be accessed by the same cell. This overall process is known as Autocrine Signaling.

Q2: A certain chemical is made to work on some other cells in the body, is this example of an Autocrine Signaling process?

Answer:

In the Autocrine Signaling process, the chemicals are made to work on the same cells from certain cells. In the Autocrine Signaling process, the chemicals are not allowed to bind with any other cells in the body.

Q3: Mainly which purpose is fulfilled with the help of the Autocrine Signaling process?

Answer:

The main purpose of the Autocrine Signaling process is to have a growth of the cells. If the growth of the cells depends upon other cells, then the interdependency will increase more. In that case, the balance of the body will be harmed.