Lactotroph

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Lactotrophs (also known as lactotrope, mammatroph, mammotroph, epsilon acidophil, prolactin cell, and lactotropic cell) are cells in the anterior pituitary which produce prolactin in response to signals including dopamine and estrogen. Dopamine has an inhibitory effect on PRL secretion.

If these cells undergo neoplastic transformation, they will give rise to a prolactinoma, a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma.

[edit] External links

• l_01/12475038 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary

v • d • e Endocrine system > Pituitary gland Posterior pituitary Pars nervosa – Median eminence – Infundibular stalk Anterior pituitary Pars intermedia – Pars tuberalis – Pars distalis – Acidophils (Somatotropes, Lactotropes) – Basophils (Corticotropes, Gonadotropes, Thyrotropes)