Mammary collective cell migration involves transient loss of epithelial features and individual cell migration within the epithelium.

ABSTRACT: Normal mammary morphogenesis involves transitions between simple and multilayered epithelial organizations. We used electron microscopy and molecular markers to determine whether intercellular junctions and apico-basal polarity were maintained in the multilayered epithelium. We found that multilayered elongating ducts had polarized apical and basal tissue surfaces both in three-dimensional culture and in vivo. However, individual cells were only polarized on surfaces in contact with the lumen or extracellular matrix. The basolateral marker scribble and the apical marker atypical protein kinase C zeta localized to all interior cell membranes, whereas PAR3 displayed a cytoplasmic localization, suggesting that the apico-basal polarity was incomplete. Despite membrane localization of E-cadheri

SUBMITTER: Ewald AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3403234 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature