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PMID: 16677411 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review

Involution: apoptosis and tissue remodelling that convert the mammary gland from milk factory to a quiescent organ.

Breast cancer research : BCR ·Vol. 8 ·No. 2 ·2006-00-00 ·Pages 203

Watson CJ

Abstract

Involution of the mammary gland is an essential process that removes the milk-producing epithelial cells when they become redundant at weaning. It is a two-step process that involves the death of the secretory epithelium and its replacement by adipocytes. During the first phase, remodelling is inhibited and apoptotic cells can be seen in the lumena of the alveoli. In the second phase, apoptosis is accompanied by remodelling of the surrounding stroma and re-differentiation of the adipocytes. Considerable effort has been directed towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of the involution process and this has resulted in the identification of the principal signalling pathways involved.

MeSH Terms
Apoptosis/genetics,physiology Breast/anatomy & histology,cytology,physiology Cell Death Female Humans Lactation Milk, Human/metabolism
Authors & Affiliations
1 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Watson Christine J
Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK. cjw53@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
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33 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Breast cancer research : BCR
Abbr.
Breast Cancer Res
ISSN
1465-542X
DOI
10.1186/bcr1401
Email
cjw53@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
Published
2006-00-00
Epub
2006-00-10
Pages
203
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
100927353
PMCID
PMC1557708
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1186/bcr1401 PMC Full Text View journal details
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