prolactin Physiol.
(prəʊˈlæktɪn)
[f. pro-1 + lactation + -in1.]
A gonadotrophic polypeptide hormone which promotes lactation.
| 1932 O. Riddle et al. in Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. & Med. XXIX. 1211 We..have identified this same hormone, which we shall here call ‘Prolactin’ as the hitherto undefined pituitary principle which is essential for lactation in mammals. 1941 Nature 11 Jan. 44/2 The activity was at first ascribed to a single hormone of the pituitary which was called prolactin. Very recent work has gone to show that this activity is, in fact, due to the co-operation of two separate hormones of the anterior pituitary—prolactin and glycotropin. 1952 [see lactogen]. 1974 Sci. Amer. Sept. 53/3 There is probably a role for a third gonadotropic hormone of the pituitary, prolactin, in maintaining the steroid-producing function of the corpus luteum for its usual 14-day life span, but there is some doubt whether this is true in humans. 1979 Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXVII. 416/2 We know that the blood prolactin level is directly related to suckling frequency. |