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The magnetic math of breast health

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have created a tool called MaGNet to analyze the branching structure of mouse mammary glands. The system enables precise comparison of stained images and quantifies data with ease, allowing for earlier detection of breast cancer and investigation into hormonal changes and treatments.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalJournal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia·DateOct 2, 2025

Mount Sinai Health System researcher receives $4 million grant from NIH to study the role of the mammary gland secretome in metabolic health

A new five-year grant will explore the mammary gland's influence on metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes. The research aims to identify specific hormones produced by the mammary gland, known as mammokines, which may impact obesity and diabetes in mothers and offspring.

Researchers at CNIO and IDIBELL shed light on the role in lactation of a protein also crucial in breast cancer

A new study reveals that RANK protein suppression affects mammary gland functionality differently depending on pregnancy experience. In female mice, RANK suppression led to successful lactation only during the second pregnancy, suggesting a 'rescue action' by basal cells.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 11, 2023

Mother and child vulnerable to endocrine disruptor exposure

A Canadian research team found that pregnant women and their unborn babies are sensitive to environmental contaminants like endocrine disruptors. The study highlighted the role of the placenta in regulating maternal physiology and fetal development, and linked early exposure to certain EDs with breast cancer and prostate cancer risk.

SourceInstitut national de la recherche scientifique - INRS·JournalEnvironmental Research·TypeLiterature review·DateApr 28, 2022

A new role for a triple-negative breast cancer target

Researchers have discovered that the protein deltaNp63 plays a vital role in supplying energy to the mammary gland during puberty, while also being implicated in aggressive forms of cancer. The findings suggest that targeting this protein could be a viable approach for treating triple-negative breast cancer without affecting normal dev...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalFEBS Letters·DateDec 19, 2019

Not so selfish after all--Key role of transposable elements in mammalian evolution

A study published in Nucleic Acids Research reveals that transposable elements have been co-opted by hosts to provide useful functions, such as encoding part of a host protein. The research found tens of thousands of potentially co-opted TE sequences, which are more conserved across species and suggest a key role in mammalian evolution.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateNov 20, 2019

Diet affects the breast microbiome in mammals

A Mediterranean diet increased Lactobacillus abundance in mammary glands of macaque monkeys, a nonhuman primate model of women's health. This finding suggests that diet directly influences microbiome populations outside the intestinal tract and may impact breast cancer risk.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Reports·DateOct 2, 2018

Mini-breast grown in Petri dishes -- a new tool for cancer research

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich developed an assay to rebuild mammary gland tissue architecture using human breast epithelial cells. The mini-mammary glands exhibit properties similar to those of aggressive breast cancer cells, suggesting a link between normal breast stem cell function and tumor progression.

Lactating mammary glands sense calcium

Researchers discovered that lactating mammary glands can sense changes in calcium levels and adjust milk production accordingly. The calcium-sensing receptor plays a key role in this process, allowing the gland to match milk production with the availability of calcium in the mother's body.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 16, 2004