What type of signaling involves a cell responding to its own secreted substance?

In autocrine signaling, a cell releases a signaling molecule that binds to receptors on its own surface, allowing it to respond to its own secreted substance. This form of signaling enables the cell to modulate its own behavior and functions, such as growth, differentiation, or immune responses, based on its internal environment. This is particularly important in processes like immune cell activation and cancer cell proliferation, where cells can self-regulate their responses to promote their survival or growth. In contrast, paracrine signaling involves communication between neighboring cells, endocrine signaling involves hormones released into the bloodstream affecting distant cells, and exocrine signaling refers to the release of substances through ducts to the outside of the body or into cavities. Thus, the defining feature of autocrine signaling is the target being the same cell that produced the signal.