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The Mammary Gland “Side Population”: A Putative Stem/Progenitor Cell Marker?

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Abstract

Hematopoietic Stem Cells have been isolated by their ability to pump out Hoechst 33342 dye and form a distinct population definable by flow cytometry—the Side Population (SP). The membrane pump Bcrp has been identified as the molecular determinant of the SP phenotype. An SP population with Bcrp activity has been defined in a number of tissues, including mouse mammary and human breast epithelium, and it has been proposed that the SP phenotype is a universal stem cell marker. Studies of mouse and human breast SP suggest that the population is undifferentiated but capable of differentiating into epithelial structures of both luminal and myoepithelial lineages both in vitro and in vivo. However, evidence that the SP is enriched for stem cells is, at the moment, only correlative, and there are potentially confounding technical issues. We still await formal proof that the SP contains a stem cell population.

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Abbreviations

3D:

Three-Dimensional

ABC:

Adenosine Binding Cassette

BCRP:

Breast Cancer Resistance Protein

BrdU:

Bromo-deoxy Uridine

CK:

Cytokeratin

EGF:

Epidermal Growth Factor

ER:

estrogen Receptor

ES cells:

Embryonic Stem cells

HSCs:

Hematopoietic Stem Cells

MDR:

Multi-drug Resistance

MMTV:

Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus

QRTPCR:

Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction

SP:

Side Population

TDLU:

Terminal DuctalLobuloalveolar Unit

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom

    Matthew J. Smalley

  2. Breast Biology Group, CR-UK Department of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital (NHS) Trust, Withington, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Robert B. Clarke

  3. Breast Biology Group, CR-UK Department of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital (NHS) Trust, Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 4BX, United Kingdom

    Robert B. Clarke

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  1. Matthew J. Smalley
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Correspondence to Robert B. Clarke.

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Smalley, M.J., Clarke, R.B. The Mammary Gland “Side Population”: A Putative Stem/Progenitor Cell Marker?. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 10, 37–47 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-005-2539-0

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