Definition

Noun: A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland. Its primary function is to stimulate milk production (lactation) in mammals, particularly after childbirth. It also plays roles in other reproductive and metabolic processes.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • Prolactin levels rise significantly during pregnancy and after delivery.
  • The doctor ordered a blood test to check her prolactin levels.
  • High prolactin can sometimes interfere with normal menstrual cycles.

Advanced Usage

• Hyperprolactinemia: A medical condition characterized by abnormally high levels of prolactin in the blood.
  • Hyperprolactinemia can be a cause of infertility.
• Prolactinoma: A benign tumor of the pituitary gland that secretes excess prolactin.
  • The prolactinoma was treated with medication to lower prolactin secretion.

Variants and Related Words

• Lactogenic Hormone: Another name for prolactin, emphasizing its milk-stimulating function.
• Luteotropic Hormone (LTH): An older term for prolactin.

Synonyms

• Lactogen: A substance that stimulates milk production.
• Mammotropin: A term highlighting the hormone's action on the mammary glands.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Lactation: The secretion of milk by the mammary glands, which prolactin stimulates.
• Anterior Pituitary: The front lobe of the pituitary gland, which produces prolactin.
• Dopamine: A neurotransmitter that normally inhibits prolactin release.

Noun

1. gonadotropic hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary; in females it stimulates growth of the mammary glands and lactation after parturition