Autocrine prolactin: an emerging market for homegrown (prolactin) despite the imports

Prolactin (PRL) is a peptide hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland and is known to regulate lactogenic differentiation. There is a significant body of evidence that points to autocrine production of prolactin and activation of an autocrine/paracrine signaling pathway to regulate cell proliferation and migration and inhibition of cell death. This perspective highlights the recent study in the October 1, 2012, issue of Genes & Development by Chen and colleagues (pp. 2154-2168) that describes a mechanism for autocrine prolactin production and places the finding in the context of a role for prolactin in breast development and cancer.