title: A protocol for studying embryonic mammary progenitor cells during mouse mammary primordial development in explant culture.
abstract: Embryonic explant culture is a powerful technique to observe tissue morphogenesis ex vivo, and is particularly useful for monitoring embryonic mammary gland development. It has been established that mammary cell lineage specification occurs during embryogenesis, although much remains to be elucidated with respect to how this occurs. During mammary specification, mammary progenitor cells are formed. Embryonic mammary development can proceed and be monitored in embryonic explant culture. Studies using explant culture will greatly enhance our understanding of the cellular mechanisms that regulate embryonic mammary primordial development and mammary progenitor cell specification. We present a protocol for culturing explants from mid-gestation mouse embryos so that morphogenetic processes and mammary epithelial progenitor cells can be studied during embryonic mammary development ex vivo.
authors.affiliation: Division of Breast Cancer Research, Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kogata
authors.forename: Beatrice A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002469:Cell Separation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D051379:Mice; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers