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Receptor Sensitivity Variation

Meaning

Receptor Sensitivity Variation refers to the dynamic, physiological changes in the responsiveness of cellular receptors to their corresponding hormonal or neurotransmitter ligands. This variation is a critical regulatory feature, as it determines the magnitude of the biological effect produced by a given concentration of a signaling molecule. Sensitivity can increase, known as up-regulation, or decrease, known as down-regulation, often as an adaptive response to chronic over- or under-exposure to the hormone itself. Understanding and clinically modulating this variation is fundamental to effective hormonal therapy, as it explains why the same hormone level can yield different clinical outcomes in different individuals or at different times.