Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Stem cells in breast epithelia

P Li1, R Barraclough, D G Fernig

  • 1Cancer and Polio Research Fund Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK.

International Journal of Experimental Pathology
|November 3, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Myoepithelial cells in mammary glands are crucial for differentiation and are lost in malignant carcinomas. Their absence may be compensated by other molecules, driving cancer progression and metastasis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Phosphorylation and sulfation share a common biosynthetic pathway, but extend biochemical and evolutionary diversity of biological macromolecules in distinct ways.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2022
Same author

Differential sub-nuclear distribution of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF)-1 and -2 alpha impacts on their stability and mobility.

Open biology·2016
Same author

Photothermal raster image correlation spectroscopy of gold nanoparticles in solution and on live cells.

Royal Society open science·2015
Same author

Monovalent maleimide functionalization of gold nanoparticles via copper-free click chemistry.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2014
Same author

A rapid method to estimate the concentration of citrate capped silver nanoparticles from UV-visible light spectra.

The Analyst·2014
Same author

The heparin-binding protein interactome in pancreatic diseases.

Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]·2013

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Nonpregnant rodent and human mammary glands possess epithelial, intermediate, and myoepithelial cells, all isolatable as in vitro cell lines.
  • Myoepithelial cells produce transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFα) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), stimulating intermediate stem cell growth in vitro.
  • Epithelial and intermediate cells exhibit stem cell-like properties in vitro, differentiating into alveolar-like and myoepithelial cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of myoepithelial cells and associated molecular pathways in mammary gland differentiation and cancer.
  • To understand how the loss of myoepithelial cells in carcinomas may be compensated, potentially driving tumorigenesis and metastasis.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of mammary cell lines (epithelial, intermediate, myoepithelial) in vitro.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of gene and protein expression related to myoepithelial differentiation (p9Ka, Cathepsin D).
  • Comparison of cell lines from normal, benign, and malignant mammary tissues.

    • Main Results:

    • Myoepithelial differentiation involves early expression of p9Ka and Cathepsin D.
    • Myoepithelial cells are present in benign lesions but absent in malignant mammary carcinomas.
    • Carcinoma cell lines show incomplete myoepithelial differentiation.
    • Malignant cells may compensate for myoepithelial cell loss through overexpression of TGFα, erbB receptors, bFGF, and associated molecules.

    Conclusions:

    • The loss of myoepithelial cells in mammary carcinomas is a significant event.
    • Compensation mechanisms involving growth factors and differentiation markers in malignant cells may contribute to tumorigenesis and metastasis.
    • Understanding these molecular alterations provides insights into the progression of invasive mammary carcinomas.