title: Reproductive role of prolactin.
abstract: The biological actions of prolactin (PRL), a polypeptide hormone, are mostly related to lactation and reproduction. These actions have been clarified by studies of PRL and PRL-deficient receptor mice, which have a clear phenotype of reproductive failure at multiple sites. This review aims to summarize current knowledge about PRL and its receptor, role in reproductive axis and presents information of hyperprolactinemia in reproductive medicine. Our understanding of the physiology and transduction pathway of PRL has largely increased in the past 20 years with the cloning of PRL and its receptor gene.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, Unit 809, Paris, France, Faculty of Medicine René Descartes, University Paris-Descartes, Paris 5-Necker site, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachelot
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Binart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003340:Corpus Luteum Maintenance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D023421:Models, Animal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D011374:Progesterone; D011388:Prolactin