Pulsatile secretion is a biochemical phenomenon in which a chemical, such as a hormone, is secreted in a burst-like or episodic manner rather than constantly. Examples of hormones that are secreted pulsatilely include gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and growth hormone (GH). Pulsatile secretion can be critical to hormone function, as evidenced by the case of GnRH agonists, which cause functional inhibition of the receptor for GnRH due to profound downregulation in response to constant stimulation.
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