Mammary gland gestation, serum progesterone remains at a stably high concentration so signaling through its receptor is continuously activated. As one of the transcribed genes, Wnts secreted from mammary epithelial cells act paracrinely to induce more neighboring cells' branching. When the lactiferous duct tree is almost ready, "leaves" alveoli are differentiated from luminal epithelial cells and added at the end of each branch. In late pregnancy and for the first few days after giving birth, colostrum is secreted. Milk secretion (lactation) begins a few days later due to reduction in circulating progesterone and the presence of another important hormone prolactin, which mediates
Mammal the metatherian "Sinodelphys", both dated to 125 million years ago. [[Epipubic]] bones, a feature that strongly influenced the reproduction of most mammal clades, are first found in [[Tritylodontidae]], suggesting that it is a synapomorphy between them and [[mammaliformes]]. They are omnipresent in non-placental mammaliformes, though "[[Megazostrodon]]" and "[[Erythrotherium]]" appear to have lacked them. It has been suggested that the original function of [[lactation]] ([[milk]] production) was to keep eggs moist. Much of the argument is based on monotremes, the egg-laying mammals. Therian mammals took over the medium- to large-sized ecological niches in the [[Cenozoic]], after the [[Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event]] approximately