Prolactin is polypeptide hormone that is responsible for
- lactation,
- breast development,
- hundreds of other actions needed to maintain homeostasis.
- The chemical structures prolactin is similar to the structure of growth hormone and placental lactogen hormone.
Production of prolactin is controlled by two main hormones:
- Dopamine,
- Estrogen.
These hormones send a message to pituitary gland primarily indicating whether to begin or incease the production of prolactin.
Dopamine restrains production of prolactin, while estrogen increases it.