Human Mammary Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells

摘要: Human breast tissue is highly dynamic, undergoing extensive development and differentiation after birth during puberty, pregnancy, lactation. The ability to sustain the through, potentially, multiple rounds of pregnancies lactations in a woman’s lifetime suggests presence tissue-resident stem/progenitor cells that maintain two main lineages epithelium, luminal basal/myoepithelial cells. Although human functionally similar murine mammary gland, structural developmental differences suggest organization regulation epithelial hierarchy humans may be more complex. Taking cues from studies mouse rat gland biology, much research effort has been expended into characterizing hierarchy. use cell surface markers coupled with assays define progenitor activity vitro vivo greatly expanded our understanding. While full picture still incomplete, it instructive for understanding heterogeneity cancers how this relate patient treatments outcomes.