Female Histology 7

Question 1

What is the structure of the breast?

Answer 1

• many lobes of tubulo-alveolar glands with fat and loose/dense irregular c.t.
  
  • each lobe has a lactiferous duct
  • opens to the nipple
  • each duct has a lactiferous sinus (a dilation)

Question 2

Desribe the histology of the nipple and lactiferous glands.

Answer 2

• duct is stratified cuboidal epithelium
• no hair follicles in this area

Question 3

Describe the histology of an inactive mammary gland.

Answer 3

• all duct elements in loose connective tissue
  
  • no secretory end pieces
• surrounded by dense irregular connective tissue
• largest ducts are stratified cuboidal/columnar epithelium
• smallest ducts are simple cuboidal

Question 4

Describe the histology of breast tissue during the proliferative phase.

Answer 4

• Proliferate in response to estrogen (ducts) and progesterone (secretory end pieces)
• Continues during pregnancy

Question 5

Describe the histology of lactating mammary glands.

Answer 5

• Fat and connective tissue almost completely replaced by glandular elements
• Secretory end pieces are distended with milk
• Secretory cells are responsible for milk production and release

Question 6

Describe the process of milk secretion.

Answer 6

• milk accumulates in the lumen
• ejected by contraction of myoepithelial cells in response to oxytocin (from posterior pituitary gland)
  
  • myoepithelial cells are of ectodermal origin
  • enclosed within the epithelial basal lamina