title: Tissue recombination techniques for mouse embryonic mammary glands.
abstract: This review gives detailed technical protocols for dissection of embryonic mammary rudiments and preparation of tissue recombinants composed of embryonic mouse mammary mesenchyme and epithelium. This experimental protocol was used in several seminal experiments that have greatly increased our understanding of embryonic mammary gland development, including the finding that mammary mesenchyme induces and specifies mammary epithelial identity. Analysis of mesenchymal-epithelial interactions has facilitated identification of molecular mediators of cell-cell interactions, in particular the tissue-specific roles of genes expressed in mesenchyme and epithelium during embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, Box 0738, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. cunhag@urology.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Gerald R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Cunha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000254:growth & development*; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000254:growth & development; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice