Clarke, I.J., Dunshea, F.R. orcid.org/0000-0003-3998-1240 and Chauhan, S.S. (2025) Prolactin and Heat Stress; focus on Domestic Ruminants. Journal of Animal Science. skaf020. ISSN 0021-8812 (In Press)
Abstract
Prolactin has traditionally been associated with milk production, but recent studies identify prolactin as having many other functions. These include a role in pelage growth, sweating, immune function, metabolism and water/electrolyte balance. A signature of HS is a rise in prolactin concentrations so the question arises as to whether this hormone has a particular function in relation to response to or mitigation of HS. Thus, prolactin plays a multifaceted role in the physiological and behavioral responses of livestock to HS, contributing to their ability to cope with warmer temperatures and maintain homeostasis. A major advance in recent years is the identification of the SLICK gene in cattle, being a mutation in the prolactin receptor. It is responsible for a phenotype of short, shiny coat. SLICK confers heat resilience and offers a realistic means of mitigating HS by introgression into cattle without the mutation. The purpose of this article is to ascertain what functions prolactin may have in the response to HS. It appears that prolactin may be involved in many of the physiological processes that are affected by HS, but it is clear that definitive evidence of cause/effect are yet to be discerned.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2025. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | prolactin, heat stress, ruminants |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Biology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 24 Feb 2025 15:22 |
Last Modified: | 14 Mar 2025 09:14 |
Status: | In Press |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Identification Number: | 10.1093/jas/skaf020 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:223628 |