Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Mystery Wrapped in an Enigma: Matrigel Enhancement of Mammary Cell Growth and Morphogenesis

  • Published:
Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The analysis of normal mammary morphogenesis is facilitated by the use of mammary fat pad transplantation. The recent experiments on analysis of normal mammary epithelial stem cell activity rely heavily on this technique. In this review, we discuss the known and unknown attributes of using Matrigel in the injection of the mammary epithelial cell suspension. Matrigel greatly increases the “take” frequency of the injected cell suspension; however, there is some uncertainty regarding the interpretation of some of the results. After consideration of these issues, our conclusion is that Matrigel is important in order to obtain rigorous and reproducible results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

MRU:

Mammary replicating unit

TGFB:

Transforming growth factor beta

References

  1. DeOme KB, Faulkin Jr LJ, Bern HA, Blair PB. Development of mammary tumors from hyperplastic alveolar nodules transplanted into gland-free mammary fat pads of female C3H mice. Cancer Res. 1959;19:515–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Vaillant F, Lindeman GF, Vasvader JE. Jekyll or Hyde: does Matrigel provide a more or less physiological environment in mammary repopulating assays? Breast Cancer Res. 2011;13:108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Shackleton M, Vaillant F, Simpson KJ, Stingl J, Smyth GK, Asselin-Labat ML, Wu L, Lindeman GJ, Visvacer JE. Generation of a functional mammary gland from a single stem cell. Nature. 2006;439:84–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Stingl J, Eirew P, Ricketson I, Shackleton M, Vaillant F, Choi D, Li HI, Eaves CJ. Purification and unique properties of mammary epithelial stem cells. Nature. 2006;439:993–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Moraes RC, Zhang X, Harrington N, Fung JY, Wu MF, Hilsenbeck SG, Allred DC, Lewis MT. Constitutive activation of smoothened (SMO) in mammary glands of transgenic mice leads to increased proliferation, altered differentiation and ductal dysplasia. Development. 2007;134:1231–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Zeng YA, Nusse R. Wnt proteins are self-renewal factors for mammary stem cells and promote their long-term expansion in culture. Cell Stem Cell. 2010;6:568–77.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Spike BT, Engle DD, Lin JC, Cheung SK, La J, Wahl GM. A mammary stem cell population identified and characterized in late embryogenesis reveals similarities to human breast cancer. Cell Stem Cell. 2012;10:183–97.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gu B, Sun P, Yuan Y, Moraes RC, Li A, Teng A, Agrawal A, Rhéaume C, Bilanchone V, Veltmaat JM, Takemaru K, Millar S, Lee EY, Lewis MT, Li B, Dai X. Pygo2 expands mammary progenitor cells by facilitating histone H3 K4 methylation. J Cell Biol. 2009;185:811–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kleinman HK, McGarvey ML, Liotta LA, Robey PG, Tryggvason K, Martin GR. Isolation and characterization of type IV procollagen, Iaminin, and heparin sulfate proteoglycan from the EHS sarcoma. Biochemistry. 1982;21:6188–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Streuli CH, Bailey N, Bissell MJ. Control of mammary epithelial differentiation: basement membrane induces tissue-specific gene expression in the absence of cell-cell interaction and morphological polarity. J Cell Biol. 1991;115:1383–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Li ML, Aggeler J, Farson DA, Hatier C, Hassell J, Bissell MJ. Influence of a reconstituted basement membrane and its components on casein gene expression and secretion in mouse mammary epithelial cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1987;84:136–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chew EC, Hoshino K. The early histogenesis of transplanted mouse mammary glands. II. Within 96 h. Z Anat Enkwicklungsgesch. 1970;132:318–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Young LJT, Medina D, DeOme KB, Daniel CW. The influence of host and tissue age on life span and growth rate of serially transplanted mouse mammary gland. Exp Gerontol. 1971;6:49–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kordon EC, Smith GH. An entire functional mammary gland may comprise the progeny from a single cell. Development. 1998;125:1921–30.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Van Keymeulen A, Rocha AS, Ousset M, Beck B, Bouvencourt G, Rock J, Sharma N, Dekoninck S, Blanpain C. Distinct stem cells contribute to mammary gland development and maintenance. Nature. 2011;479:189–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Visbal AP, LaMarca HL, Villanueva H, Toneff MJ, Li Y, Rosen JM, Lewis MT. Altered differentiation and paracrine stimulation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation by conditionally activated Smoothened. Dev Biol. 2011;352:116–27.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bussard KM, Boulanger CA, Booth BW, Bruno RD, Smith GH. Reprogramming human cancer cells in the mouse mammary gland. Cancer Res. 2010;70:6336–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Boulanger CA, Bruno RD, Rosu-Myles M, Smith GH. The mouse mammary microenvironment redirects mesoderm-derived bone marrow cells to a mammary epithelial progenitor cell fate. Stem Cells Dev. 2011;Jul 18. [Epub ahead of print].

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Michael T. Lewis, John D. Landua & Homer C. Adams III

  2. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Michael T. Lewis & Daniel Medina

Authors
  1. Michael T. Lewis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John D. Landua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Homer C. Adams III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel Medina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Medina.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lewis, M.T., Landua, J.D., Adams, H.C. et al. A Mystery Wrapped in an Enigma: Matrigel Enhancement of Mammary Cell Growth and Morphogenesis. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 17, 99–101 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-012-9249-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-012-9249-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation