What do antagonists do in regards to cell response?

Antagonists are agents that bind to specific receptors in the body but do not activate them. Instead, they block or inhibit the actions of other substances, such as hormones or neurotransmitters, that would normally elicit a response. By occupying the receptor sites, antagonists effectively slow down or diminish the normal cellular responses that would occur if the receptor were activated. This can be beneficial in various therapeutic contexts, such as managing conditions where excessive receptor activation contributes to disease symptoms.

While the other choices involve enhancing or activating responses, antagonists specifically work to reduce or inhibit the effects of agonists, which are substances that do trigger cellular responses. This blocking action is fundamental to how antagonists function in pharmacology.