Mammary Histology

Question 1

Technially, the mammary gland is what?

Answer 1

a modifed sweat gland

Question 2

HOw many lobes are there?`

Answer 2

15-25

Question 3

True or false: each lobe is an independent gland

Answer 3

true

Question 4

Where do ducts open?

Answer 4

apex of the nippple

Question 5

Each lobe has several what?

Answer 5

lobules separated by intralobular connective tissue

Question 6

Which CT is thicker - the interlobular or intralobular?

Answer 6

interlobular

the intralobular is loose

Question 7

What is the secretory unit of the mammary gland?

Answer 7

alveoli

Question 8

What kind of secretion is this?

Answer 8

apocrine - the lipid part

merocrine - the salts and proteins

Question 9

What is the epithelium of the duct system? How bout near the opening on the nipple?

Answer 9

simple columnar in the ducts

stratified squamous near the opening on the nipple

Question 10

WHat cells help to squeeze the alveoli to push the milk into the duct system and out?

Answer 10

the myoepithelial cells

Question 11

What is the sequence of ducts in the gland?

Answer 11

intralobular ducts
interlobular ducts
lactiferous ducts
lactiferous sinus
lactiferous duct

Question 12

What are the changes that occur during puberty?

Answer 12

1. glands enlarge rapidly due to distribution and deposition of adipose and CT
2. the duct system may enlarge slightly, but stays relatively unchanged and remain incompletely developed until first pregnancy

Question 13

WHen does the fullest development occur for the mammary gland?

Answer 13

during nursing for the first child

Question 14

Describe the skin of the nipple?

Answer 14

1. pigmented
2. stratified squamous keratinized epithelium
3. no sweat glands or hair follicles, but maybe solitary sebaceous glands
4. melanin increases during pregnancy
5. tall connective tissue papillae with numerous meissner’s corpuscles

Question 15

Describe the smooth muscle arrangement in the hipple?

Answer 15

outer circumferential and inner longitudinal surrounding the ducts (hard to differentiate)

Question 16

What are the little bumps on the areola called?

Answer 16

areolar glands of Montgomery

Question 17

What are these glands of montgomery?

Answer 17

intermediate between sweat glands and a true mammary gland

Question 18

True or false: aerola has no sweat glands, but has sebaceous glands.

Answer 18

false - has both

Question 19

Where are the alveoli located?

Answer 19

at the distal ends of the intralobular ducts

Question 20

What is the epithelium of those alveoli?

Answer 20

cuboidal to squamous epithelium

Question 21

How many myoepithelial cells are there per alveolus?

Answer 21

usually 4-6

Question 22

What hormone do those myoepithelial cells respond to?

Answer 22

oxytocin

Question 23

What’s the term for one set of duct lobules?

Answer 23

terminal duct lobular unit

Question 24

What happens to the breast during pregnancy?

Answer 24

1. intralobualr ducts proliferate and branch
2. alveoli form and increase in numbers
3. CT appears to decrease, but is actually just compressed
4. plasma cell infiltration
5. increase in alveolar height
6. clostrium pruduction

Question 25

When during pregnancy do the alveoli develop lumens?

Answer 25

2nd half

Question 26

Describe colostrum

Answer 26

It's a type of pre-milk that is thick with proteins, vitamin A, sodium, chloride, lactalbumin and IgA

Question 27

WHat is the major milk sugar produced by the active alveoli?

Answer 27

lactose

Question 28

Adjacent to the active alveoli will be resting alveoli (which already ejected its milk). What would those look like in comparison?

Answer 28

1. small lumen | 2. epithelium may be taller because it's preparing to make more milk

Question 29

Describe how foremilk at the beginning of nursing differs from hindmilk of later nursing session?

Answer 29

foremilk - more watery, lots o protein | hindmilk - thicker, more lipid

Question 30

Describe what happens in regression after breastfeedign?

Answer 30

1. secretory products resorbed 2. aleolar size decreases 3. alveolar degeneration 4. connective tissue appears to increase as the alveoli degenerate

Question 31

What happems to the mammary glands during menopause?

Answer 31

involution

Question 32

Describe what happens in involution?

Answer 32

1. atrophy of gland and stroma 2. few ducts may persist 3. cyst formagion is common 4. the CT becomes more dense

Question 33

WHat hormone will stimulate the duct proliferation during pregnancy?

Answer 33

estrogen

Question 34

What hormone stimulates alveolar proliferation?

Answer 34

progesteron

Question 35

What hormone stimulates milk formation?

Answer 35

prolactin

Question 36

What are the two effects of suckling?

Answer 36

1. increases prolactin secretion (by decreasing dopamine release) 2. increases oxytocin release to produce milk ejection via myoepithelial cell contraction