Breast: Stem and Progenitor Cells in Adults

The mammalian breast is one of the few organs in the female body that undergoes large changes during the life cycle. Puberty, pregnancy, and lactation are some of the physiological processes that dramatically alter the nature and cellular composition of the breast. This article discusses the stem and progenitor cell populations present in the breast that allow for this inherent regenerative capacity in the breast.

The breast has a branched network of ducts and lobules that comprises the glandular tissue responsible for producing milk during lactation. It is also comprised of a layer of myoepithelial cells that have muscle-like contractile ability that can contract to allow for milk extraction from the mammary glands into the ducts that carry the milk. In essence, there are three major ...