Involvement of axonal guidance proteins and their signaling partners in the developing mouse mammary gland.

Mammary morphogenesis in the mouse is driven by specialized structures at the ends of the developing ducts, the terminal end buds (TEB). The mechanisms controlling the precise branching and spacing of the ducts are, as yet, unknown. To identify genes that are associated with migration of TEB and differentiation of the subtending ducts, we developed a novel method of isolating TEB and ducts free of stroma, and compared the gene expression profiles of these two isolates using oligonucleotide microarrays.

Involution of the mouse mammary gland is associated with an immune cascade and an acute-phase response, involving LBP, CD14 and STAT3.

Introduction: Involution of the mammary gland is a complex process of controlled apoptosis and tissue remodelling. The aim of the project was to identify genes that are specifically involved in this process.

Methods: We used Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays to perform a detailed transcript analysis on the mechanism of controlled involution after withdrawal of the pups at day seven of lactation.