Breast histology

Question 1

How many lobes make up the secretory tissue of each breast?

Answer 1

15-25

Question 2

What does each lobe contain?

Answer 2

Compound tubulo-acinar gland which drains via a series of ducts leading to nipple

Question 3

Path of the duct system?

Answer 3

Terminal ductules–> Intralobular collecting duct–> Lactiferous duct for each lobe–> through lactiferous sinus to nipple

Question 4

Epithelial lining in larger ducts?

Answer 4

Columnar

Question 5

Epithlial lining in secretory acini?

Answer 5

Cuboidal or low columnar

Question 6

What kind of epithelium covers the nipple?

Answer 6

Highly pigmented keratinised stratified squamous epithelium

Question 7

What does the nipple core consist of?

Answer 7

Dense irregular connective tissue with smooth muscle bundles

Question 8

Lining of lactiferous ducts?

Answer 8

Superficial- Stratified squamous

Deep- Stratified cuboidal

Question 9

Changes in mammary gland in pregnancy?

Answer 9

1st trimester- Elongated and branching of smaller ducts, prolif of epithelium and myoepithelium

2nd trimester- Glandular development, immune cells infiltrate

3rd trimester- secretory alveoli mature, develop rER

Question 10

What stimulates secretory tissue proliferation and fibro fatty sparsity in pregnancy?

Answer 10

Progesterone and oestrogen

Question 11

What is apocrine secretion?

Answer 11

A vesicle budding off sourrouded by membrane and carrying cytoplasm with it into lumen

Question 12

What is merocrine secretion?

Answer 12

Vesicles merge with apical membrane to release only their contents into duct system