title: [Mast cells of the mammary gland and of the regional lymph node in rats with breast cancer induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea].
abstract: Using the methods of light and electron microscopy, morphometric and functional characteristics of mast cell (MC) populations were studied in the mammary gland (MG) and regional lymph node (RLN) at different stages of breast cancer (BC) induced in 120 outbred female albino rats with the body mass of 120-150 g. BC was induced by subcutaneous injections of chemical cancerogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. MC numbers and activity in MG and RLN were found to increase at all stages of BC formation studied (64-180 days of cancerogen exposure). Gradual increase in MC degranulation rate and degree, MC disintegration closer to the center of the tumor, together with the appearance in the peritumorous tissues, in the tumor itself, and in RLN of numerous small, immature MC, by their morphometric parameters identical to the intestinal mucosal MC, may presumably indicate the decompensation phenomena in the system and of the approaching of process terminal stage.
authors: M E
authors: ME
authors: Dzodzikova
authors: V A
authors: VA
authors: Shakhlamov
authors: T T
authors: TT
authors: Berezov
authors: K D
authors: KD
authors: Salbiev