Final answer:
Lactotrophs or mammotrophs of the anterior pituitary secrete the hormone prolactin (PRL), which is essential for milk production post-childbirth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lactotrophs or mammotrophs of the anterior pituitary secrete the prolactin (PRL) hormone. This hormone is crucial for stimulating milk production in the mammary glands after childbirth. Prolactin is regulated by hypothalamic hormones, primarily prolactin-releasing hormone (PRH), which stimulates the release of prolactin, and prolactin-inhibiting hormone (PIH) - now identified as dopamine - which has the opposite effect.
Besides prolactin, the anterior pituitary gland also produces other hormones including growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. The hormone prolactin itself not only establishes and maintains the supply of breast milk but is also important for the mobilization of maternal micronutrients necessary for breast milk.