ABSTRACT
Prolactin (PRL), a hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, is responsible for the development of the mammary gland and the production of milk for nourishment of newborn mammals. This chapter aims to delineate some of the known general biochemical characteristics of the receptor and describes the production and characterization of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to the PRL receptor. It discusses the role of PRL as a promotor of tumor development, with special emphasis on mammary carcinoma. The characteristics of PRL receptors in mammary gland membranes have been described in considerable detail in several laboratory studies of animals. The mammary carcinoma induced in the rat by dimethylbenz[a]nthracene has been the most widely accepted model of hormone-dependent breast cancer. In vitro cell culture techniques have demonstrated that PRL plays an important role in the development of human breast cancer. PRL can stimulate breast cancer DNA synthesis and increase cell number and metastatic potential.
