An in vitro Human Mammary Epithelial Model System for Studies of Differentiation and Carcinogenesis
Year: 1991
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Our laboratory has developed culture systems utilizing human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) in order to facilitate studies on the normal mechanisms controlling growth and differentiation in these cells, and to understand how these normal processes may become altered as a result of immortal and malignant transformation. One aspect of this work has been to derive cell types which may represent different stages in the progression from normal cells to malignant cells. Another aspect has been characterize these various cell types for their synthesis of and responses to different growth factors, as well as their expresson of differentiated properties. We have additionally utilized our normal and malignant cultures to identify new gene products which may be differentially expressed in these cells. Underlying this work has been the assumption that carcinogenesis involves aberrations in the normal pathways of proliferation and differentiation, and that while in vitro model systems may still not fully reflect the in vivo situation, they will nevertheless prove useful in advancing our understanding of the mechanisms of human carcinogenesis.
Source: Humana Press eBooks
Institution: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Language: English
Topic: Cancer Cells and Metastasis
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W42656278