Question

In the pituitary, signals from the hypothalamus are responsible for producing a sharp increase in prolactin levels. Using what you know about protein translocation, describe the cellular pathway that is used to prepare prolactin for secretion. In addition, based upon this pathway, at what point would you expect these hypothalamus signals to be acting

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The anterior pituitary gland's hypothalamic control of prolactin secretion varies in two ways from the hypothalamic regulation of other pituitary hormones. Second, hypothalamic prolactin secretion regulation is mainly inhibitory, whereas hypothalamic management of other anterior pituitary hormones secretion is stimulating. Thus, if the anterior pituitary is isolated from the hypothalamus control, prolactin production rises while that of the other anterior pituitary hormones declines. Neurotransmitter dopamine, which is not a neuropeptide, is the hypothalamic factor which stimulates prolactin secretion, as are the other hypothalamic hormones which control the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones.