Paracrine signalling

As paracrine secretion (from the Greek para " beside "; krinein " separate ", " Comment" ) refers to the Sekretionsmodus of cells in which the votes hormones and hormone-like substances act directly on cells in the immediate environment (eg growth factors). In contrast to the endocrine secretion of the hormones ie do not enter via the blood to their target cells.

Paracrine Sekretionsvorgänge control in many organs and tissues, functions and processes of differentiation.

There are also cells which are both endocrine and paracrine active, such as the Leydig cells of the testis.