Prolactin induces mammopoiesis and lactogenesis through the Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription pathway, with Stat5a being a principal and obligate cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling molecule. Mice from which the Stat5a gene has been deleted fail to develop functional mammary tissue during their first pregnancy. Lobuloalveolar outgrowth is curtailed, and epithelial ce...

Pregnancy, decreased feed intake during late gestation, lactogenesis, and parturition have dramatic effects on metabolism in dairy cows during the transition period from 3 wk before calving to 3 wk after calving. Increases in plasma NEFA occur during the 10 d before calving and may precede the decrease in feed intake. Plasma NEFA concentrations are highest at calving and decrease rapidly after ...

Prolactin is best known for its effects of stimulating mammary gland development and lactogenesis. However, prolactin is a pleiotropic hormone that is able to affect several physiological functions, including fertility. Prolactin receptors (PRLRs) are widely expressed in several tissues, including several brain regions and reproductive tract organs. Upon activation, PRLRs may exert prolactin's ...

BACKGROUND The current breastfeeding initiation rate in Canada is approximately 87%. By one month, about 21% of women have stopped breastfeeding. Engorgement and edema in breast tissue can lead to breastfeeding challenges which may contribute to early weaning. The aims of this pilot research study were to explore the relationship between intrapartum intravenous fluids given to mothers and postp...

Human milk is a complex secretion that is the sole ideal food for babies for at least the first 6 months of life. The amount and composition of the milk is largely independent of the mother's diet. The composition of the milk changes during lactogenesis II, and these changes can be used as biochemical markers of the onset of copious milk secretion. After 1 month of lactation, there are few furt...

Galactogogues (or lactogogues) are medications or other substances believed to assist in the initiation, maintenance, or augmentation of maternal milk production. Milk production is a complex physiological process involving physical and emotional factors and the interaction of multiple hormones, the most important of which is believed to be prolactin. During stress milk production reduces. Milk...

Prolactin (PRL) has been implicated in numerous physiological and developmental processes. The mouse PRL gene was disrupted by homologous recombination. The mutation caused infertility in female mice, but did not prevent female mice from manifesting spontaneous maternal behaviors. PRL-deficient males were fertile and produced offspring with normal Mendelian gender and genotype ratios when they ...

Elevated breast milk (BM) Na concentration is regarded as responsible for elevated Na intake. To verify the clinical significance of milk Na concentration, we studied the relationship between BM Na+ concentration and infants' daily Na+ intake, infants' daily BM intake (DBMI) and percentage weight loss (%WL) in healthy newborn infants. All mothers who gave birth to a single healthy infant, betwe...

Cell-matrix adhesion is essential for the development and tissue-specific functions of epithelia. For example, in the mammary gland, beta1-integrin is necessary for the normal development of alveoli and for the activation of endocrine signalling pathways that determine cellular differentiation. However, the adhesion complex proteins linking integrins with downstream effectors of hormonal signal...

Milk contains plenty of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant components that probably account for the vital antioxidant protection of the infants at early stages of life against the development of complications induced by oxygen free radicals. Indigenous milk enzymes play a key role in regulating lactogenesis, including active involution of mammary gland. Moreover, they are essential constit...