Open AccessMinireview: Prolactin Regulation of Adult Stem Cells
Author(s) -
Lucila Sackmann-Sala,
Jacques-Emmanuel Guidotti,
Vincent Goffin
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
molecular endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1944-9917
pISSN - 0888-8809
DOI - 10.1210/me.2015-1022
Subject(s) - biology , stem cell , progenitor cell , paracrine signalling , microbiology and biotechnology , prolactin , progenitor , adult stem cell , cellular differentiation , endocrinology , hormone , genetics , receptor , gene
Adult stem/progenitor cells are found in many tissues, where their primary role is to maintain homeostasis. Recent studies have evaluated the regulation of adult stem/progenitor cells by prolactin in various target tissues or cell types, including the mammary gland, the prostate, the brain, the bone marrow, the hair follicle, and colon cancer cells. Depending on the tissue, prolactin can either maintain stem cell quiescence or, in contrast, promote stem/progenitor cell expansion and push their progeny towards differentiation. In many instances, whether these effects are direct or involve paracrine regulators remains debated. This minireview aims to overview the current knowledge in the field.