Essential role for a novel population of binucleated mammary epithelial cells in lactation

Anne C. Rios, Nai Yang Fu, Paul R. Jamieson, Bhupinder Pal, Lachlan Whitehead, Kevin R. Nicholas, Geoffrey J. Lindeman and Jane E. Visvader ()
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Anne C. Rios: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Nai Yang Fu: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Paul R. Jamieson: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Bhupinder Pal: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Lachlan Whitehead: Imaging Laboratory, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Kevin R. Nicholas: Monash University
Geoffrey J. Lindeman: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Jane E. Visvader: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The mammary gland represents a unique tissue to study organogenesis as it predominantly develops in the post-natal animal and undergoes dramatic morphogenetic changes during puberty and the reproductive cycle. The physiological function of the mammary gland is to produce milk to sustain the newborn. Here we view the lactating gland through three-dimensional confocal imaging of intact tissue. We observed that the majority of secretory alveolar cells are binucleated. These cells first arise in very late pregnancy due to failure of cytokinesis and are larger than mononucleated cells. Augmented expression of Aurora kinase-A and Polo-like kinase-1 at the lactogenic switch likely mediates the formation of binucleated cells. Our findings demonstrate an important physiological role for polyploid mammary epithelial cells in lactation, and based on their presence in five different species, suggest that binucleated cells evolved to maximize milk production and promote the survival of offspring across all mammalian species.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11400

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