PRL and hyperinsulinism: Interestingly, PRL also functions as a growth factor for pancreatic beta cells via the JAK/STAT pathway (Nielsen et al., 1992) and induces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and insulin production in rat islet beta cells during fetal (Møldrup et al., 1993; Freemark et al., 1995; Royster et al., 1995), neonatal (Brelje and Sorenson, 1991; Brelje et al., 1994), and adult development (Møldrup et al., 1993), suggesting PRL may partially mediate hyperinsulinemia during HS (Baumgard and Rhoads, 2013).