Skip to main content

Paracrine Mediators

Meaning

Paracrine mediators are chemical signaling molecules released by cells that exert their effects primarily on adjacent cells within the immediate local tissue environment. Unlike endocrine hormones that travel through the bloodstream to distant targets, these substances function over short distances, facilitating direct cell-to-cell communication and localized physiological responses. They represent a critical mode of intercellular communication vital for tissue coordination.