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" that are largely found in animals, and neighbor-communicating "quorum sensing cells" that are mostly associated with bacteria. While assumed to function independent of one another, recent studies have discovered quorum sensing organs and autocrine signaling microbes. Moreover, similar types of genetic circuits control many autocrine and quorum sensing cells. 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.