Pharmacology & biology
Receptor downregulation
Also known as: desensitisation · desensitization · tolerance
Cells reduce the number or sensitivity of receptors in response to persistent stimulation, blunting a drug’s effect over time.
In plain terms
Downregulation is the biological basis of tolerance, and one reason continuous high-dose stimulation of a receptor tends to be self-defeating. It is a common argument for cycling, though whether a given compound actually downregulates its target is an empirical question, not an assumption.
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