Journal
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
Volume 17, Issue 10, Pages 1253-1270Publisher
COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB PRESS, PUBLICATIONS DEPT
DOI: 10.1101/gad.1061803
Keywords
stem cells; mammary gland development; gene expression analysis; microarray analysis
Categories
Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [5P30CA46592, CA075136, P01 CA075136] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Although the existence of mammary stem cells has been suggested by serial transplantation studies in mice, their identification has been hindered by the lack of specific surface markers, and by the absence of suitable in vitro assays for testing stem cell properties: self-renewal and ability to generate differentiated progeny. We have developed an in vitro cultivation system that allows for propagation of human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) in an undifferentiated state, based on their ability to proliferate in suspension, as nonadherent mammospheres. We demonstrate that nonadherent mammospheres are enriched in early progenitor/stem cells and able to differentiate along all three mammary epithelial lineages and to clonally generate complex functional structures in reconstituted 3D culture systems. Gene expression analysis of cells isolated from nonadherent mammospheres revealed overlapping genetic programs with other stem and progenitor cells and identified new markers that may be useful in the identification of mammary stem cells. The isolation and characterization of these stem cells should help elucidate the molecular pathways that govern normal mammary development and carcinogenesis.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available