Scribble promotes alveologenesis in the pregnant mammary gland for milk production.

ABSTRACT: Mammary glands are comprised of ducts and terminal lobules that form tree-like structures. Luminal epithelial cells in these lobules undergo differentiation into alveolar cells in pregnancy to support milk production. This study reveals that Scribble (SCRIB), a scaffold protein expressed in progesterone receptor (PGR)-positive cells, plays a critical role in mammary gland alveologenesis in mice. We conditionally deleted Scrib using a Pgr-Cre driver. PGR is heterogeneously expressed throughout the luminal epithelium. Scrib loss in mammary glands by Pgr-Cre (Scribf/fPgrCre/+) shows inefficient alveologenesis and terminal end bud (TEB)-like morphology during pregnancy, resulting in poor milk production and subsequent death of pups after delivery. The differentiation of PGR-positive epithelial

SUBMITTER: Aikawa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7241298 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature