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Isolation and growth of human mammary epithelial cells

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Journal of tissue culture methods

Summary

Techniques for the isolation and culture of human mammary epithelial cells are described. The isolation procedure consists of dissection followed by partial enzymatic digestion with collagenase and hyal-uronidase and subsequent filtration to separate the epithelial clusters from the digested stromal elements. Culture procedures utilizing two different growth media are presented. A serum-free medium, MCDB170, permits long-term growth (45 to 60 population doublings) of a pure epithelial population; a less defined medium, MM, yields fewer population doublings but increased expression of some mammary-specific properties.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Building 934, 94720, Berkeley, California, USA

    Martha R. Stampfer

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  1. Martha R. Stampfer
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Stampfer, M.R. Isolation and growth of human mammary epithelial cells. Journal of Tissue Culture Methods 9, 107–115 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01797781

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01797781

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