We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Stem cells in breast epithelia.
- Authors
LI, PETER; BARRACLOUGH, ROGER; FERNIG, DAVID G.; SMITH, JOHN A.; RUDLAND, PHILIP S.; Li, Peter
- Abstract
The rodent and human nonpregnant mammary glands contain epithelial, intermediate and myoepithelial cells which have all been isolated as cell lines in vitro. Transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are produced by myoepithelial cells and can stimulate the growth of intermediate stem cells in vitro. Epithelial and intermediate cells behave like stem cells in vitro, since they can differentiate into alveolar-like and myoepithelial cells. The myoepithelial differentiation pathway is associated with the early expression of a calcium-binding regulatory protein called p9Ka and the protease, Cathepsin D. Myoepithelial cells are also present in benign lesions but not in malignant mammary carcinomas of rats or humans, whose resultant cell lines fail to differentiate completely along the myoepithelial cell pathway. Loss of the myoepithelial cell in some invasive carcinomas may be compensated, at least in part, by changes in malignant cells. Over-expression of TGFα and/or erbB receptors may reduce the requirement for TGFα, whilst ectopic production of bFGF and its receptors and p9Ka/Cathespin D may assist in tumorigenesis and in metastasis, respectively. Thus compensation for, or retention of, molecules potentially involved in the differentiation of mammary cells may be a mechanism by which malignancy progresses in some human invasive carcinomas.
- Subjects
STEM cells; EPITHELIUM; MAMMARY glands
- Publication
International Journal of Experimental Pathology, 1998, Vol 79, Issue 4, p193
- ISSN
0959-9673
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2613.1998.00068.x