Bioscientifica Proceedings

Ruminant placentae produce at least two distinct subclasses of the growth hormone/prolactin gene family, the placental lactogens and prolactin-related proteins. Placental lactogens have been purified from cattle, goat and sheep placentae, and the amino acid sequences of bovine and ovine placental lactogen are known. Bovine and ovine placental lactogens are structurally more similar to prolactin than they are to growth hormone. In addition, six unique mRNAs have been described ...