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autoregulatory

autoregulatory

8.1
That controls itself without outside help
  • adjective
  • /ˌɔːtəˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪtəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : autoregulator
  • The body has an autoregulatory system that maintains stable blood flow despite changes in pressure.

Examples

  • As in animals and plants, the Neurospora clock consists of an autoregulatory negative feedback transcription loop, with two transcription factors driving the expression of a clock gene called frequency, which, after a delay, inhibits its own transcription.

    Academic text (2005)
  • These data suggest an autoregulatory mechanism whereby intravascular pressure, and possibly tissue pressure, would directly modulate resting neural activity via astrocytic mechanosensors.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Many ecosystems exhibit autoregulatory properties, allowing them to recover from disturbances without outside intervention.

  • An autoregulatory mechanism in the brain helps regulate hormone levels autonomously.

Synonyms

self-regulating
vsautoregulatory
2 5.2

Can adjust and control itself without outside help

is used for processes or mechanisms that regulate themselves automatically

Surface Forms

autoregulatory positive

Morphology

autoregulatory = regulatory (transparent) = auto + regulate + ory

The word is transparently built from auto- meaning 'self' plus regulatory, yielding the meaning 'regulating itself'.

Etymology

The word autoregulatory combines auto- meaning 'self' and regulate meaning 'to control or make regular', so it describes something that controls itself. Think of a thermostat that changes the heat on its own; an autoregulatory system keeps conditions steady without outside control.