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Receptor Desensitization

Meaning

Receptor Desensitization is a fundamental physiological process characterized by the reduced responsiveness of a cell’s surface or intracellular receptors to the continuous or prolonged presence of a signaling molecule, such as a hormone or neurotransmitter. This adaptive mechanism, also known as downregulation, serves as a protective feedback loop to prevent overstimulation and preserve cellular homeostasis. Clinically, this phenomenon is critical to understand, as it can lead to a state of functional hormone resistance, where high levels of a hormone fail to elicit the appropriate biological response, exemplified by insulin resistance.