Abstract
PROLACTIN constitutes part of the luteotrophic complex necessary for the maintenance and secretory activity of the corpus luteum in the rat1,2, mouse3, rabbit4, hamster5, ferret6, pig7 and sheep8. Recent evidence suggests, however, that prolactin may have little to do with luteal function in women9–15. Nevertheless, it is still possible that prolactin could play a ‘permissive’ role, as in other species, where alterations in peripheral blood levels, within limits, have little effect on luteal activity. In an attempt to gain more insight into the possible role of prolactin in controlling ovarian activity in women, we have studied the production of steroids by human granulosa cells growing in tissue culture, and the effects of the addition or neutralisation of human prolactin in the culture media. We report that the production of progesterone by human granulosa cells in vitro requires low physiological concentrations of prolactin whereas high concentrations are inhibitory.
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MCNATTY, K., SAWERS, R. & MCNEILLY, A. A possible role for prolactin in control of steroid secretion by the human Graafian follicle. Nature 250, 653–655 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250653a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/250653a0
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