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Prolactin release and milk ejection in rats suckling underfed pups.
Endocrinology
|January 1, 1986
Summary
Hungry pups stimulate greater prolactin (PRL) release and milk intake from mothers. Pups directly influence milk withdrawal, while also indirectly boosting maternal PRL for increased milk production.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Lactation physiology
- Maternal-offspring interactions
Background:
- Maternal exposure to underfed pups increases milk production, food, and water intake.
- Understanding pup nutritional state's role in regulating maternal milk production is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between pup nutritional status and maternal prolactin (PRL) release.
- To distinguish the roles of mother and pups in regulating milk intake.
Main Methods:
- Measured PRL release in mother rats upon reunion with pups after 4-hour separation.
- Tested mothers with either 24-hour food-deprived (hungry) or normally fed (satiated) pups.
- Compared PRL discharge and milk ejection frequency between different pup nutritional states and maternal histories.
Main Results:
- Hungry pups elicited twice the PRL discharge compared to satiated pups.
- PRL release was lowest in mothers of underfed pups and highest in mothers of normally fed pups.
- Hungry pups ingested more milk than satiated pups, irrespective of maternal factors or littermate sucking intensity.
Conclusions:
- Hungry pups enhance milk intake directly by increasing withdrawal and indirectly by stimulating maternal PRL secretion.
- This PRL surge may promote maternal feeding and drinking, supporting milk production.
- Pups play a significant role in regulating their own milk intake through direct and indirect mechanisms.