title: Paracrine control of lactotrope proliferation and differentiation.
abstract: Lactotropes in the pituitary gland might be useful models of how a cell type develops, differentiates, proliferates and regresses under the control of paracrine and autocrine signals. Lactotrope development during embryonic life is determined by a well-defined sequence of temporal and positional actions of locally produced members of the bone morphogenetic protein, hedgehog and fibroblast growth factor families. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), TGF-beta and galanin mediate the action of estrogen on the postnatal expansion of the lactotrope cell population and expression of the gene encoding prolactin in an autocrine/paracrine manner. Moreover, the classic hormone precursor pro-opiomelanocortin generates differentially glycosylated isoforms of its N-terminal fragment as paracrine controllers, which each induce distinct aspects of lactotrope differentiation and growth.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Pharmacology, University of Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Medical School, Campus Gasthuisberg (O&N), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. carl.denef@med.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D019004:Galanin / Q000378:metabolism; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D006133:Growth Substances; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D019004:Galanin; D011388:Prolactin