Distinct stem cells contribute to mammary gland development and maintenance

Alexandra Van Keymeulen, Ana Sofia Rocha, Marielle Ousset, Benjamin Beck, Gaëlle Bouvencourt, Jason Rock, Neha Sharma, Sophie Dekoninck and Cédric Blanpain ()
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Alexandra Van Keymeulen: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Ana Sofia Rocha: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Marielle Ousset: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Benjamin Beck: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Gaëlle Bouvencourt: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Jason Rock: Duke University Medical Center
Neha Sharma: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Sophie Dekoninck: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium
Cédric Blanpain: Université Libre de Bruxelles, IRIBHM, Brussels B-1070, Belgium

Nature, 2011, vol. 479, issue 7372, 189-193

Abstract: Abstract The mammary epithelium is composed of several cell lineages including luminal, alveolar and myoepithelial cells. Transplantation studies have suggested that the mammary epithelium is maintained by the presence of multipotent mammary stem cells. To define the cellular hierarchy of the mammary gland during physiological conditions, we performed genetic lineage-tracing experiments and clonal analysis of the mouse mammary gland during development, adulthood and pregnancy. We found that in postnatal unperturbed mammary gland, both luminal and myoepithelial lineages contain long-lived unipotent stem cells that display extensive renewing capacities, as demonstrated by their ability to clonally expand during morphogenesis and adult life as well as undergo massive expansion during several cycles of pregnancy. The demonstration that the mammary gland contains different types of long-lived stem cells has profound implications for our understanding of mammary gland physiology and will be instrumental in unravelling the cells at the origin of breast cancers.

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nature:v:479:y:2011:i:7372:d:10.1038_nature10573

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DOI: 10.1038/nature10573

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