title: Autocrine Signaling and Quorum Sensing: Extreme Ends of a Common Spectrum.
abstract: 'Secrete-and-sense cells' can communicate by secreting a signaling molecule while also producing a receptor that detects the molecule. The cell can potentially 'talk' to itself ('self-communication') or talk to neighboring cells with the same receptor ('neighbor communication'). The predominant forms of secrete-and-sense cells are self-communicating 'autocrine cells', which are largely found in animals, and neighbor-communicating 'quorum sensing cells', which are mostly associated with bacteria. While assumed to function independently of one another, recent studies have discovered quorum-sensing organs and autocrine-signaling microbes. Moreover, similar types of genetic circuit control many autocrine and quorum-sensing cells. Here, we outline these recent findings and explain how autocrine and quorum sensing are two sides of a many-sided 'dice' created by the versatile secrete-and-sense cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Berkalp A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Doğaner
authors.affiliation: Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lawrence K Q
authors.initials: LKQ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628CJ, The Netherlands. Electronic address: h.youk@tudelft.nl.
authors.forename: Hyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Youk
mesh_terms: D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000235:genetics*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000235:genetics*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface
keywords: cell circuits; cell signaling; multicellular communication; multicellular systems; paracrine signaling; secrete-and-sense cells