Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer
Published on: May 18, 2020
The role of activin in mammary gland development and oncogenesis
Karen A Dunphy1, Alan L Schneyer, Mary J Hagen
1Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA. jjerry@vasci.umass.edu
Abstract:
TGFβ contributes to mammary gland development and has paradoxical roles in breast cancer because it has both tumor suppressor and tumor promoter activity. Another member of the TGFβ superfamily, activin, also has roles in the developing mammary gland, but these functions, and the role of activin in breast cancer, are not well characterized. TGFβ and activin share the same intracellular signaling pathways, but divergence in their signaling pathways are suggested. The purpose of this review is to compare the spatial and temporal expression of TGFβ and activin during mammary gland development, with consideration given to their functions during each developmental period. We also review the contributions of TGFβ and activin to breast cancer resistance and susceptibility. Finally, we consider the systemic contributions of activin in regulating obesity and diabetes; and the impact this regulation has on breast cancer. Elevated levels of activin in serum during pregnancy and its influence on pregnancy associated breast cancer are also considered. We conclude that evidence demonstrates that activin has tumor suppressing potential, without definitive indication of tumor promoting activity in the mammary gland, making it a good target for development of therapeutics.
Related Concept Videos
The Mammary Glands
Each breast features a pigmented projection known as the nipple, through which milk emerges via closely spaced openings of ducts, referred to as lactiferous ducts. Surrounding the nipple is a circular pigmented area of skin named the areola, which appears rough due to...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
Abnormal Proliferation

