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Metabolic Receptor Downregulation

Meaning

Metabolic Receptor Downregulation is a physiological process where the number or intrinsic sensitivity of cell surface receptors for key metabolic hormones, such as insulin or thyroid hormone, is reduced in response to prolonged overstimulation or pathological conditions. This adaptive change represents a cellular defense mechanism against chronic high signaling, but it ultimately results in systemic tissue resistance to the hormone’s biological action. This cellular insensitivity is a hallmark of many chronic metabolic diseases, including Type 2 Diabetes, hypercortisolism, and functional hypothyroidism.