Description
Introduction: Prolactin (PRL) or Luteotropic hormone (LTH) is a peptide hormone primarily associated with lactation. PRL is synthesised and secreted by lactotrope cells in the adenohypophysis. It is also produced in other tissues including the breast, the decidua, parts of the central nervous system and the immune system. Pituitary prolactin secretion is regulated by neuroendocrine neurons in the hypothalamus, the most important ones being the neurosecretory tuberoinfundibulum (TIDA) neurons of the arcuate nucleus, which secrete dopamine to act on the dopamine-2 receptors of lactotrophs, causing inhibition of prolactin secretion. Thyrotropin-releasing factor has a stimulatory effect on prolactin release. Prolactin has many effects including regulating lactation, orgasms, and stimulating proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Prolactin is a single-chain polypeptide of 199 amino acids with a molecular weight of about 24,000 daltons. Its structure is similar to that of growth hormone and placental lactogen.
Principle of the Assay: The microtiter plate provided in this kit has been pre-coated with a goat-anti-rabbit antibody. Standards or samples are then added to the appropriate microtiter plate wells with a HRP-conjugated PRL and antibody preparation specific for PRL and incubated. Then substrate solutions are added to each well. The enzyme-substrate reaction is terminated by the addition of a sulphuric acid solution and the color change is measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 450 nm +/- 2 nm. The concentration of PRL in the samples is then determined by comparing the O.D. of the samples to the standard curve