Relating to a kind of hormone function in which the effects of the hormone are restricted to the local environment. Cf.:endocrine. [para- + G. krino, to separate]
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para·crine 'par-ə-krən, -.krīn adj of, relating to, promoted by, or being a substance secreted by a cell and acting on adjacent cells <\paracrine stimulation of tumor growth (M. B. Rettig )(et al)> compare autocrine
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adj.
describing a hormone that is secreted by an endocrine gland and affects the function of nearby cells, rather than being transported distally by the blood or lymph.
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para·crine (parґə-krin) [para- + Gr. krinein to separate] denoting a type of hormone function in which hormone synthesized in and released from endocrine cells binds to its receptor in nearby cells of a different type and affects their function.Medical dictionary. 2011.