endogenous

adjective en·dog·e·nous \ en-ˈdä-jə-nəs \

Definition of endogenous

1 :growing or produced by growth from deep tissue

endogenous plant roots

2 a :caused by factors inside the organism or system

suffered from endogenous depression

endogenous business cycles

b :produced or synthesized within the organism or system

an endogenous hormone

—

endogenously

adverb

Recent Examples of endogenous from the Web

Researchers used the latest gene editing technology to deactivate 25 remnants of ancient viruses, called porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs), that had embedded in the DNA of a pig cell line.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Scientists de-bug pig genome in preparation for farming organ donors," 11 Aug. 2017
People with depression show abnormalities in the body’s release of its own, endogenous, opioid chemicals.

— olga khazan, The Atlantic, "How Untreated Depression Contributes to the Opioid Epidemic," 15 May 2017
Like most other animals including humans, pigs carry viruses called endogenous retroviruses.

— reuters, WIRED, "‘Babe’ Is Safe for Transplant," 28 Aug. 2000

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'endogenous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

When biologists need to make a distinction between things that are produced within a cell or organ and things that affect it from the outside, they use the terms endogenous and exogenous. It used to be thought, for instance, that mutations in cells always resulted from exogenous causes, until it was discovered that substances in the body, including those called oxidants, could cause them endogenously as well. "Circadian rhythms"—the regular cycles, roughly 24 hours in length, that plants, animals, and humans rely on to regulate their days—are endogenously generated and don't actually depend on the sun for their timing.

First Known Use of endogenous

1830

Other Biochemistry Terms

bile, biodegradable, capsaicin, keratin, metabolism

Medical Dictionary

endogenous

adjective en·dog·e·nous \ en-ˈdäj-ə-nəs \

variants: also endogenic play \ˌen-də-ˈjen-ik\

medical Definition of endogenous

1 :growing from or on the inside

endogenous spores

2 :caused by factors within the body or mind or arising from internal structural or functional causes

endogenous malnutrition

endogenous psychic depression

3 :relating to or produced by metabolic synthesis in the body

endogenous opioids

endogenous amino acids

— compare exogenous

—

endogenously

adverb

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See words that rhyme with endogenous Britannica English: Translation of endogenous for Arabic speakers

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endogenous

Definition of endogenous

endogenously

Recent Examples of endogenous from the Web

Did You Know?

First Known Use of endogenous

Other Biochemistry Terms

Medical Dictionary

endogenous

medical Definition of endogenous

endogenously

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endogenous

Definition of endogenous

endogenously

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Recent Examples of endogenous from the Web

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First Known Use of endogenous

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endogenous

medical Definition of endogenous

endogenously

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