downregulation

noun

down·​reg·​u·​la·​tion ˈdau̇n-ˌreg-yə-ˈlā-shən 

: the process of reducing or suppressing a response to a stimulus

specifically : reduction in a cellular response to a molecule (as insulin) due to a decrease in the number of receptors on the cell surface

downregulate

-ˈreg-yə-ˌlāt 

verb

downregulated; downregulating