Estrogen-induced prolactin and DNA synthesis in immature female rat pituitaries

Richard A. Maurer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Estradiol is likely involved in stimulating developmental changes in the ability of the rat pituitary to secrete prolactin. To investigate the possibility that these changes involve proliferation of prolactin cells, estradiol effects on pituitary growth and prolactin synthesis were examined. Estradiol treatment of immature female rats stimulates increases in pituitary weight, [3H]thymidine incorporation, DNA content and prolactin synthesis. Treatment of rats with the DNA synthesis inhibitor, hydroxyurea, partially blocked the ability of estradiol to stimulate prolactin synthesis suggesting that at least part of the effect of estrogen is due to cell proliferation. These results suggest that estrogen-induced proliferation of prolactin cells is involved in the developmental processes of the pituitary.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)291-300
Number of pages10
JournalMolecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1979

Keywords

  • [H]thymidine incorporation
  • cell proliferation
  • hydroxyurea

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology

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