Histology, Mammary Glands

Excerpt

The mammary glands are one of the distinguishing features found on mammals. Although male and female mammary glands develop similarly from birth to pubescence, they undergo different changes at the onset of puberty. In females, the previously quiescent mammary epithelium invades the mammary fat pad, leading to epithelial proliferation, breast enlargement, and increased fatty tissue deposition. In males, this process is inhibited by increasing testosterone levels, which act on the mesenchymal cells of the mammary stroma to induce regression and necrosis.

Mammary gland pathophysiology has been studied primarily in females, as they are considered vestigial organs in males. Nevertheless, both male and female mammary glands can be affected by pathologic entities, and thus, both have clinical relevance.