Ovarian hormone receptors in human mammary stromal cells.
Mesenchymal cells of the rodent breast express both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Searches for these molecules in the human breast have yielded conflicting results. Following immunohistochemical staining of samples of normal human breast tissue, the authors detected estrogen receptor alpha protein and progesterone receptor protein in extralobular (non-specialized) fibroblasts and estrogen receptor alpha protein in adipocytes. Tissues from young teenage girls and pregnant women contained the greatest number of receptor positive fibroblasts. These observations confirm prior reports of the presence of ovarian hormone receptors in mammary fibroblasts. The findings also illustrate similarities in the organization of the rodent and human breasts and thereby suggest that regulation of the gland by ovarian hormones involves similar mechanisms in both species.
Koerner
F
F
James Homer Wright Laboratory of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. fkoerner@partners.org
Oyama
T
T
Kurosumi
M
M
Maluf
H
H
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid