ANTERIOR PITUITARY DOPAMINE RECEPTORS AND PROLACTIN SECRETION

ABSTRACT Dopamine (DA) receptors were characterized in the anterior pituitary (AP) of several species using H-labelled DA, dihydroergocryptine (DHE) and spiroperidol (SPIR). The majority of DA receptors in the rat AP were localized immunocytochemically on the plasma membrane of mammotrophs. Long term destruction of median eminence DA terminals resulted in a supersensitive-like response of AP DA receptors involved in the inhibition of prolactin. These data support DA as a prolactin inhibitory factor (PIF).