title: Effects of prolactin on steroid production by human luteal cells in vitro.
abstract: The effects of prolactin on steroidogenesis were studied in dispersed luteal cells prepared from human corpora lutea of the menstrual cycle. Prolactin, at concentrations of 0.1-1000 ng/ml, had no effect on progesterone production by luteal cells during short-term incubation (3 h). However, in two out of five corpora lutea, higher concentrations of prolactin (100 and 1000 ng/ml) significantly reduced the oestradiol-17 beta production induced by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG; 10 i.u./ml); lower doses of prolactin had little effect. In the remaining corpora lutea, prolactin failed to affect either basal or hCG-induced production of oestradiol-17 beta. These results are discussed in relation to the mechanism by which prolactin influences human ovarian function.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin