Effect of prolactin on maintenance of prelactating human mammary gland in vitro.
Human mammary tissue from a female at the end of the second trimester of pregnancy was studied in organ culture in a chemically defined medium. Sampling was carried out at 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Without hormones, there was nearly total lobuloalveolar degeneration in all specimens at all times. Addition of insulin, hydrocortisone and ovine prolactin, in combination at a concentration of 5 mug per ml each, did not affect the extent of degeneration. Raising the concentration of prolactin to 50 mug per ml resulted in greatly improved lobulo-alveolar maintenance in all specimens and continued epithelial cell DNA synthesis for up to 3 weeks in vitro.
D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007774:Lactation; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003470:Culture Media; D007328:Insulin; D011388:Prolactin; D004247:DNA; D006854:Hydrocortisone