Changes in the gene expression of progesterone receptor and prolactin receptor in sow mammary gland between late gestation and lactation

Abstract

Lactogenesis is triggered by a rapid decline in plasma progesterone concentration combined with a peak in plasma prolactin concentration; in mice, there is a concurrent loss of mammary progesterone receptors (Haslam and Shyamala, 1980). The aims of this experiment were to determine the pattern of change of progesterone receptor and prolactin receptor mRNA during late gestation and early lactation and to determine whether abundance of mRNA for the two receptors are related to each other, to plasma concentrations of progesterone and prolactin or to piglet performance.