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Epithelial‐stromal junction of normal and dysplastic mammary glands
Author(s) -
Ozzello Luciano
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197003)25:3<586::aid-cncr2820250314>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - myoepithelial cell , ground substance , basal lamina , hemidesmosome , stromal cell , basement membrane , lamina lucida , pathology , epithelium , anatomy , ultrastructure , dysplasia , biology , connective tissue , lamina densa , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , medicine , immunohistochemistry
This report illustrates the electron microscopic features of the constituents of that portion of the human breast in which epithelial structures and stroma come in contact with each other. This zone is designated “epithelial‐stromal junction” (ESJ) and includes: plasma membranes of epithelial and myoepithelial cells, intercellular spaces, lamina lucida, basal lamina, fibrillar connective tissue and ground substance beneath the basal lamina, and a layer of “delimiting fibroblasts.” The latter make an almost continuous layer of attenuated cytoplasm enveloping ducts and ductules. Vascular channels are present beyond the layer of delimiting fibroblasts but not within the ESJ proper. Several ultrastructural alterations of the ESJ are observed in the various manifestations of mammary dysplasia. These alterations include: straightening of the plasma membranes with flattening of hemidesmosomes, straightening with variations in thickness but no disappearance of basal laminae, increased number of elastic fibers, increased number and compactness of collagen fibers, irregularly increased density of interfibrillary substance, disarray and partial‐to‐total loss of the layer of delimiting fibroblasts. These observations lead to the hypothesis that the ESJ probably acts as a functional unit in the transport of materials to and from the epithelium thus taking an active part in the normal functions of the mammary gland and in the evolution of mammary dysplasia.