Exocrine Glands
V Functional changes and Iactation.
i/
Pregnancy Lacta:ion
A LMs of a lactating mammary gland. Simple cuboidal.epith-el:um lines well-developed alveoli and the ducts (Du). Myoepithelial cells, although present,
are not easily seen in routine sections. An alveolus is filled wilh milk secretion (Left) (*); others appear emptv
conneclive tissue skoma eosinophilic. 240x. H&E.
2.18 HISTOLOGY AND FUNCTION OF
LACTATTNG (ACTIVE) MAMMARY GLANDS
During pregnancy, mammary glands complete development and
cliflerentiation to prepare for lactation. Alveoli get larger, and
alveolar epithelial cells undergo ltypertrophy and lryperplasia. ln
addition, the number and size of ducts increase, and the amount
of connective and adipose tissue decreases. The secretory unit of
eachlobe-thelobule-consi:sts of several clusters of alveoli around
a small duct. Several lobules corstitute a lobe. Simple cuboidal
epithelial cells surrounded by a delicate basement membrane line
alveoli. Basally located myoepithelial cells share a basement
membrane with the epithelium and embrace alveoli in a basket-
?
{'zH'
!
i' '
l. LMs ol a lactating mammary gland. Top, Ducts (Du) and inegular,
closely packed secretory alveoli (Al) are prominent. 60x. HdE Bottom. ln a section
of gland treated to detect lipid in milk, alveolar contents are black. g}x. asmium.
F) &ighg. n nrgh cg,teni 0tiorfigi, makes the
like pattern. At the end of pregnancy, alveoli are large, irregular
in shape, and liled by cuboidal to low columnar epitheliu:1.
Lobules vary greatly in functional activity. Alveolar cells in an
actively secreting 1obule contaia large fat droplets, and lumina of
many alveoli may contain heterogeneous secretions, plus desqua-
mated cells and cell debris. Prolacfir, rvhich is released from the
anterior pituitary, stimulates cells to secrete milk components into
alveoli lumina. During lactation, oxytocin from the posterior pitu-
itary stimulates myoepitheiial cells to contract to help expel secre-
tions into ducts. Late in pregaancy, plasma cells in stroma around
alveoli increase in number and add secretory IgA to marnmary
gland secretions to confer passive immunity to an infant.