Prolactin: An Emerging Force Along the Cutaneous–Endocrine Axis

The document from 2010 reviews the role of prolactin (PRL) in skin and hair follicle biology, highlighting its production in human skin and its potential implications for skin health and disease. PRL is traditionally associated with the anterior pituitary gland but is also produced in the skin, which acts as a peripheral endocrine organ. The review indicates that PRL has gender- and site-specific effects on hair growth and may delay hair regrowth in mice. It also suggests that PRL affects keratin expression and epithelial stem cell biology, with potential therapeutic applications for skin diseases and hair disorders. PRLR antagonists and knockout mice have been used to study PRL's functions, and the findings suggest that PRL could be a novel regulator in skin biology. However, more research is needed to fully understand its role, including studies with larger subject cohorts and an exploration of the effects of psychoemotional stress on PRL production.