Abstract
Mammary epithelium can functionally regenerate upon transplantation. This renewal capacity has been classically ascribed to the function of a multipotent mammary gland stem cell population, which has been hypothesized to be a primary target in the etiology of breast cancer. Several complementary approaches were employed in this study to identify and enrich mammary epithelial cells that retain stem cell characteristics. Using long-term BrdU labeling, a population of label retaining cells (LRCs) that lack expression of differentiation markers has been identified. LRCs isolated from mammary primary cultures were enriched for stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1) and Hoechst dye-effluxing "side population" properties. Sca-1pos cells in the mammary gland were localized to the luminal epithelia by using Sca-1+/GFP mice, were progesterone receptor-negative, and did not bind peanut lectin. Finally, the Sca-1pos population is enriched for functional stem/progenitor cells, as demonstrated by its increased regenerative potential compared with Sca-1neg cells when transplanted into the cleared mammary fat pads of host mice.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 42-56 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Developmental Biology |
Volume | 245 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 1 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- BrdU
- Label retention
- Mammary
- Progesterone receptor
- Sca-1
- Stem cells
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology