There's been a bit on mention about 'endothermic' recently in relation
to gluten development.

Endothermic is relating to energy of reaction that is heat energy,
endothermic reactions require the input of heat energy raising the
over all energy state of the whole system rather like stepping up onto
a table. Endothermic reactions tend to 'rob' heat out of the
surroundings leaving the reactants feeling colder. It isn't anything
to do with mechanical energy other than mechanical energy will
translate to heat energy, in the way that water at the bottom of a
waterfall is warmer than water at the top but this is a tiny increase
in real terms. Adding warm water to your dough is enough heat energy
to enable the the breaking and reforming of sulphur bonds between
gliadin and glutenin. It requires energy to break these bonds but heat
energy.

I really don't get this complication over the whole thing. Seems
pretty simple to me. Bung some water in a leave it for an hour.

Two proteins bind together in the presence of water. Give it enough
time for it to do the job then with the merest working once the
gluten is formed will give it enough tension. Work the dough all you
like before the gluten has had a chance to develop and the result
won't be any better. It seems to me that working of the dough early
on in the process is of benefit to the baker rather than the dough. I
only work the dough straight after mixing if I have other things to do
afterwards.

Jim