Answer these questions about lactation. What is the first milk called? …
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Answer these questions about lactation.
- What is the first milk called?
- Why is it important for the baby?
- Which hormone makes the alveoli produce milk?
- Which hormone pushes the milk into the ducts?
- What starts the release of these hormones after birth?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Parturition: the fully developed foetus and the placenta send signals, the uterus contracts mildly (the foetal ejection reflex), the pituitary releases oxytocin, the contractions become stronger, and more oxytocin is released. This is positive feedback. In a model with a first strength and a gain , the strength after rounds is . The first milk is the colostrum, rich in antibodies. Prolactin makes milk, and oxytocin ejects it.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) The colostrum.
Step 2. (b) It holds antibodies that give the new born resistance to germs.
Step 3. (c) Prolactin.
Step 4. (d) Oxytocin.
Step 5. (e) The sucking of the baby at the nipple, which sends nerve signals to the brain.
Answer: (a) colostrum; (b) it has antibodies; (c) prolactin; (d) oxytocin; (e) the sucking of the baby.
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