Is the Regenerative Capacity of the Mammary Gland Contained With Those Mammary Cells That Express the Progesterone Receptor? Implications for Breast Cancer
Abstract
Recent transgenic studies have demonstrated that targeted overexpression of the A and B isoforms of the progesterone receptor (PR) to the mammary gland results in excessive ductal branching and alveolar growth respectively. Based on the above, we hypothesized that mammary-specific stem cells are present as a subgroup within those epithelial cells that express PR. To determine whether a stem cell population is contained within the PR expressing cell population (PR(+)), a PR-lacZ knockin mouse in combination with fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) was utilized to separate PR(+) from PR(-) mammary cells; both cell populations would then be evaluated for their regenerative capacity by transplantation into the cleared mammary fat pad of a host animal. FACS analysis applied to the PR-lacZ mammary gland provided a significantly enriched (^ 70%) PR(+) mammary epithelial cell population that maintained lacZ expression in culture. Although, PR(+) and PR(-) enriched mammary epithelial cell populations were transplanted into mammary fat pads, these host animals were lost to Tropical Storm 'Allison'; estimation of the regenerative potential of the above mammary epithelial cell populations will have to await the expansion of the PR-lacZ colony.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA398225
Entities
People
- John P. Lydon
Organizations
- Baylor College of Medicine