noun
- A substance produced by body tissues that has a local physiological effect, such as a hormone or neurotransmitter.
Usage: medical/pharmacology; technical term
Examples
- Histamine is an autocoid that is released by mast cells during allergic reactions.
- The body produces various autocoids that regulate inflammation and immune responses.
- Autocoids differ from hormones in that they act locally rather than throughout the entire body.
- Serotonin functions as an autocoid in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Researchers study autocoids to better understand how tissues communicate with each other.