The process by which cells release materials by fusing vesicles with the cell membrane, causing the vesicle contents to be expelled outside the cell. This is how cells secrete hormones, neurotransmitters, and other important molecules.
From Greek 'exo' meaning outside and 'kytos' meaning cell, with the suffix '-osis' indicating a process or condition. The term was coined in the 1960s as scientists discovered how cells actively transport materials outward through membrane fusion.
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