this type of desensitization, termed homologous desensitization, leaves a cell transiently unresponsive to agents that activate the desensitized receptor but not to agents that activate other receptors. it commonly occurs with g protein-coupled receptors where it is mediated by the g protein-coupled receptor kinases (grk) and arestins that are mobilized during the receptor's activation. homologous desensitization also occurs with cytokine and other types of receptors, such as those of the epidermal growth factor receptor type, but in these cases desensitization is mediated by other types of receptor kinases. homologous desensitization serves to limit or restrain a cell's responses to stimuli. however, some stimuli cause cells to activate protein kinase cs that act to desensitize multiple types of receptors thereby rendering a cell unresponsive to agonists of multiply receptor types. this commonly occurs with g protein coupled receptors (see protein kinase c#function); cytokine and other non-g protein couple receptor types may also become heterologously desensitized by agents that activate protein kinase c but, perhaps more commonly, by agents that activate other protein kinases such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 map kinase).