15.2 - Lab + Lecture

Question 1

Describe secretory tissue of breast

Answer 1

• organized into 15-20 lobes

- lobes are situated amidst CT + adipose tissue

Question 2

Describe lactiferous ducts of the mammary glands

Answer 2

• connect each lobe with their nipple
  = primary branch of mammary gland
• leads from surface epithelium of nipple to 1 lobe of breast

Question 3

Describe interlobular duts of the mammary glands

Answer 3

= secondary branch of mammary gland

• leads to individual lobules within that lobe
• only develop under the influence of sex hormones during female puberty

Question 4

Describe intralobular ducts of the mammary glands

Answer 4

= tertiary branch of mammary gland

• ducts within each lobule
• stem cells for secretory alveoli cap these branches of the lactiferous ducts
• only develop under the influence of sex hormones during female puberty

Question 5

Describe the secretory alveoli of the mammary glands

Answer 5

= terminal branch of mammary gland

• do not elaborate until pregnancy occurs
• are spare in breast of nulligravida individuals (never pregnant)
• should be simple columnar

Question 6

Describe the breasts of men and children

Answer 6

• only contain the primary branches of ductal tissue

- no interlobular, intralobular, or secretory alveoli

Question 7

Where would you see origins of Breast Cancer in a histological slide

Answer 7

• most commonly originates in ductal cells
• in a sizable minority of cases (in females only) it originates in secretory cells
• knowing the cell of origin can be important of hormone-based pharmacological treatments