A lactotropic cell (also known as a prolactin cell, epsilon acidophil, lactotrope, lactotroph, mammatroph, mammotroph) is a cell in the anterior pituitary that produces prolactin in response to inhibitory dopamine and stimulatory thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
Prolactin supports milk production and the formation of mammary glands in breast tissues.
It encourages the development of mammary alveoli, which are the components of the mammary gland where milk is produced.