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Updated: May 27, 2026
11:13
Indirect Immunofluorescence on Frozen Sections of Mouse Mammary Gland
Published on: December 1, 2015
ID4 regulates mammary gland development by suppressing p38MAPK activity
Jie Dong1, Shixia Huang, Marian Caikovski
1Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|November 10, 2011
Summary
The study reveals that the protein ID4 (Inhibitor of Differentiation 4) is crucial for mammary gland development. By suppressing p38MAPK activity, ID4 promotes cell proliferation and ductal expansion, essential for healthy mammary tissue.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The ID protein family regulates cell proliferation and differentiation.
- The specific role of ID4 in mammary gland development remains largely unknown.
- Understanding ID4's function is key to comprehending mammary development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of ID4 in mouse mammary gland development.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which ID4 influences mammary tissue.
- To determine the impact of ID4 on cell proliferation and morphogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Targeted deletion of the Id4 gene in mice.
- Analysis of mammary gland morphology and ductal branching.
- Assessment of cell proliferation and apoptosis.
- Investigating the role of p38MAPK signaling pathway.
Main Results:
- Mouse Id4 is expressed in cap, basal, and a subset of luminal epithelial cells.
- Id4 deletion impairs ductal expansion, branching morphogenesis, and hormone-induced proliferation.
- p38MAPK is activated in Id4-null mammary cells and upon Id4 knockdown.
- p38MAPK activation mediates reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in Id4-ablated mammary glands.
Conclusions:
- ID4 promotes mammary gland development by suppressing p38MAPK activity.
- ID4 plays a critical role in regulating mammary cell proliferation and differentiation.
- The ID4-p38MAPK axis is a key regulator of mammary morphogenesis.
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