Relationship between Prolactin Action and Calcium Metabolism in Mammary Cells

Abstract

There are many reports on the mechanisms of action of prolactin using mammary tissues. Some of them suggest that prolactin might regulate intracellular calcium concentration. Therefore, the authors examined whether prolactin causes an influx of calcium into mouse mammary cells or not. Since changes in the activity of ATPase in plasma membrane and acceleration of the turnover of phosphatidylinositol might be considered as some of the mechanisms of an influx of calcium into mammary cells, these phenomena were also studied. No significant differences were observed between the group treated with prolactin and the control group in all experiments conducted. Based on the present experimental data, it is considered that prolactin does not cause an influx of calcium into mammary cells.