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A Protocol for Studying Embryonic Mammary Progenitor Cells During Mouse Mammary Primordial Development in Explant Culture

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Mammary Stem Cells

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1293))

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.

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Acknowledgement

This work was funded by Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research.

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Correspondence to Beatrice A. Howard .

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Kogata, N., Howard, B.A. (2015). A Protocol for Studying Embryonic Mammary Progenitor Cells During Mouse Mammary Primordial Development in Explant Culture. In: Vivanco, M. (eds) Mammary Stem Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1293. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2519-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2519-3_2

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2518-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2519-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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