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Alveolar and Lactogenic Differentiation

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Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The mouse mammary gland is a complex tissue that proliferates and differentiates under the control of systemic hormones during puberty, pregnancy and lactation. Once a highly branched milk duct system has been established, during mid/late pregnancy, alveoli, little saccular outpouchings, sprout all over the ductal system and differentiate to become the sites of milk secretion. Here, we review the emerging network of the signaling pathways that connects hormonal stimuli with locally produced signaling molecules and the components of intracellular pathways that regulate alveologenesis and lactation. The powerful tools of mouse genetics have been instrumental in uncovering many of the signaling components involved in controlling alveolar and lactogenic differentiation.

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Abbreviations

WAP:

whey acidic protein

XIAP:

x-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein

GH:

growth hormone

PTHrP:

parathyroid hormone related peptide

GR:

glucocorticoid receptor

ER:

estrogen receptor

PR:

progesterone receptor

PrlR:

prolactin receptor

RANKL:

receptor activator of NFκB ligand

EGF:

epidermal growth factor

HRG1:

heregulin 1

GAS:

γ-interferon activation sequence

JAK2:

janus 2 kinase

SOCS:

suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins

STAT:

signal transducer and activator of transcription

C/EBP:

CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins

CDK:

cyclin dependent kinase

MMTV:

mouse mammary tumor virus

LMO4:

LIM domain only 4

ErbB4:

v-erb-a erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4

ID2:

inhibitor of DNA binding 2

Ets:

v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog 1

ELF-5:

E74-like factor 5

IGF-2:

insulin-like growth factor 2

ERK1:

extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1

IKKα:

Inhibitor of kappa B kinase alpha

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Acknowledgments

We thank Manfred Beleut for carefully reading the manuscript. This work was supported by funds from the National Center of Competence in Research in Molecular Oncology and Oncosuisse.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), 155 Chemin des Boveresses, CH-1066, Epalinges, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Cathrin Brisken & Renuga Devi Rajaram

  2. Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Cathrin Brisken & Renuga Devi Rajaram

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  1. Cathrin Brisken
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Correspondence to Cathrin Brisken.

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Brisken, C., Rajaram, R.D. Alveolar and Lactogenic Differentiation. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 11, 239–248 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-006-9026-0

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