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Updated: May 1, 2026

Indirect Immunofluorescence on Frozen Sections of Mouse Mammary Gland
Published on: December 1, 2015
Ductal barriers in mammary epithelium
Mark B Owens1, Arnold Dk Hill1, Ann M Hopkins1
1Department of Surgery; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Dublin, Ireland.
Abstract:
Tissue barriers play an integral role in the biology and pathobiology of mammary ductal epithelium. In normal breast physiology, tight and adherens junctions undergo dynamic changes in permeability in response to hormonal and other stimuli, while several of their proteins are directly involved in mammary tumorigenesis. This review describes first the structure of mammary ductal epithelial barriers and their role in normal mammary development, examining the cyclical changes in response to puberty, pregnancy, lactation and involution. It then examines the role of adherens and tight junctions and the participation of their constituent proteins in mammary tumorigenic functions such as migration, invasion and metastasis. Finally, it discusses the potential of these adhesion proteins as both prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
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