Lactation Flashcards
What causes lactogenesis
Acini cells synthesise milk due to prolactin
What is milk synthesised from?
Glucose and amino acids
Milk secretion pathway
Acini cells, across cell membrane, into lumen of alveoli
Where is prolactin released from?
Anterior pituitary gland
What suppresses milk production?
Oestrogen and progesterone
When does prolactin activate milk production?
Once placenta has been birthed and oestrogen and progesterone levels drops
What is the benefit of prolactin levels being higher at night?
Baby’s stomachs are smaller, so encourages mother to wake up throughout the night to feed baby
Prolactin is also released when baby suckles
Prolactin receptor theory
Prolactin locks into receptors
Stimulates acini cells to make milk
(Expulsion of placenta opens the receptor sites)
What does oxytocin work on?
Myoepithelial cells (muscle cells)
How is synthetic oxytocin different to (natural) endogenous oxytocin?
Synthetic doesn’t evoke feelings of protectiveness and love as it doesn’t cross the blood brain barrier
Where is oxytocin released from?
Posterior pituitary gland
What does oxytocin stimulate?
Contraction of myo-epithelial cells
What is FIL
protein
What happens when there is too much FIL?
milk production is stopped
(High milk concentration means high FIL concentration)
