title: The prolactin family: effectors of pregnancy-dependent adaptations.
abstract: Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone involved in many biological functions. In some species, there is a family of PRL-related genes; such is the case in the mouse and rat. The actions of members of the PRL family can be distinguished based on the involvement of the PRL receptor signaling pathway (classical versus nonclassical). Recent insights into the biology of the PRL family have been derived from mouse mutagenesis studies. There is compelling evidence suggesting that the PRL family contributes to the regulation of pregnancy-dependent adaptations to physiological stressors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal-Fetal Biology, Division of Cancer and Developmental Biology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. msoares@kumc.edu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: S M Khorshed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alam
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D052286:Viviparity, Nonmammalian / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin