Intraductal Injection of Adenoviruses to Perform Lineage Tracing in the Mammary Gland

Lineage tracing is a fundamental tool in developmental biology and cancer research, providing critical insights into cell fate decisions, tissue homeostasis and tumor initiation. The mammary gland is a highly dynamic organ with a complex cellular hierarchy, making it an ideal system for lineage-tracing studies. Classic approaches, such as tamoxifen-inducible CreER/loxP recombination, have significantly advanced our understanding of mammary epithelial cell (MEC) differentiation, homeostasis, and transformation. However, these methods have limitations, including potential effects of tamoxifen on estrogen signaling, low mammary gland specificity, and the requirement for transgenic model creation and mouse breeding. Adenovirus-Cre (Ad-Cre)-based lineage tracing has emerged as a powerful alternative, enabling rapid and organ-specific recombination. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the Ad-Cre approach in mammary gland biology, comparing its efficiency, specificity, and technical advantages over the CreER-based method. We discuss applications of Ad-Cre intraductal injection-based lineage tracing in mapping MEC fates, identifying the cellular origins of breast cancer, and modeling tumor progression. Additionally, we highlight its ability to induce genetic marking at a clonal level, facilitating precise investigations into MEC plasticity and tumor cell heterogeneity. Despite its advantages, Ad-Cre lineage tracing also presents challenges, such as low cell-targeting efficiency and potential effect on the mammary gland immune microenvironment. Future advancements, including the integration of CRISPR-based barcoding, may further enhance its utility for high-resolution fate mapping. By summarizing recent advancements and comparative analyses, this review underscores the significance of Ad-Cre lineage tracing as a versatile and powerful tool in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research.