Bio

Dr. Bolander's primary research interests involve the molecular mechanisms of prolactin action and its regulation of growth and differentiation. His model system is the mouse mammary gland. Prolactin is a member of the cytokine family, which uses the Jak/Stat pathway to stimulate differentiation, as measured by milk protein induction. Recently, his laboratory has shown that prolactin can also activate the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway, which mediates growth and blocks differentiation. He is currently investigating the molecular mechanisms by which prolactin activates NO synthase and by which NO/cGMP acts as a switch between growth and differentiation. Since prolactin is an autocrine factor in breast cancer, a better understanding of this growth/differentiation balance may permit pharmacological therapy to switch the tumor cells from growth to differentiation.

Publications

Bolander F.F. 2004. Molecular endocrinology. In Meyers RA (ed) Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology and Molecular Medicine, 2nd ed, VCH Publishers, New York, in press. .

Bolander F.F. 2004. Biochemical endocrinology. In Baynes J & Dominiczak MH (eds) Medical Biochemistry, 2nd ed, Mosby, London,. pp 525-542.

Bolander F.F. 2004. Molecular Endocrinology. 3rd ed, Elsevier Academic Press, San Diego. pp. 632 .

Bolander F.F. 2003. The mechanisms by which nitric oxide affects mammary epithelial growth and differentiation. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 304: . 425-430.

Bolander F.F. 2002. rolactin activation of mammary nitric oxide synthase: molecular mechanisms. Mol Endocrinol 28:. 45-51.