Studies of mammary gland biology are critically important given the prevalence of breast cancer in the population. There are many other reasons to study this organ, however. It represents an excellent model system for research into developmental mechanisms, gene regulation, tissue organization, hormonal action, secretion, and stem cell biology, revealing general principles that can be extended to other organs and tissues. This book provides valuable lessons for all cell, developmental, and cancer biologists.

Proceedings of the European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST 825) Symposium on Mammary Gland Biology, held September 16-18, 1999, in Tours, France. It is difficult to overstate the evolutionary and functional significance of mammary tissue in biology. Substantial progress has been made by researchers in various disciplines, particularly over the last fifteen years, towards realizing the potential of this tissue to yield powerful experimental models for morphogenesis and tissue development; for cellular differentiation; for the biosynthesis and secretion of proteins, lipids, small molecules and inorganic salts; and for the coordination and regulation of these processes. More recently, the possibility of exploiting the secretory epithelial cells of mammary tissue as `cell factories' has become a reality and the recombinant production by lactating animals of an increasing number of proteins, valuable both in the pharmaceutical and `nutraceutical' fields, is in progress or under development. Also in this sphere of agricultural production, genetic as well as nutritional technologies are under investigation and exploitation to optimize milk composition for various end-uses - for instance in food process and manufacture. The possibilities of deriving health benefit from the bioactive properties of some of the minor constituents of milk are emerging to counter the highly-publicized negative health impact of excessive consumption of saturated animal fats. In human nutrition and medicine, the mammary gland is both a source of nutrition to the neonate and a potential health threat to the adult female - breast cancer remains the major single cause of female mortality in most developed countries. This volume provides a unique glimpse into our understanding, at the cutting edge of a variety of disciplines, of this versatile and extraordinary tissue, at the birth of the twenty-first century.

This book is a bench manual that provides in one volume all theimportant and unique technologies necessary to studies of mammarygland biology and breast cancer. The chapters are written by expertsin each area with an emphasis on nitty-gritty details that are keypoints for the successful use of a method. Sections include "in""vivo" model systems, special techniques for "in vivo"studies, "in vitro" model systems, and molecular analysis and genetransfer techniques.

approaches to the experimental problems that still face us in understanding this most fascinating of organs. Too many people contributed to the completion of this volume to allow acknowledg ment of all the individual efforts, but we particularly thank the reviewers whose input into the editorial process was invaluable and the authors of these chapters who revised their text, sometimes more than once, to bring it to the high standards set by the Editors. The Com mittee gratefully acknowledges the support ofVysis, Inc. , in the publication of a color figure in Chapter 19, by S. Weber-Hall and Trevor Dale. Finally, we wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to Margot Ip and Bonnie Asch, who worked long and hard to bring this volume to fruition. Margaret C. Neville for the Committee on Mammary Gland Biology Preface One of the most exciting and beneficial developments in research on mammary gland biology and breast cancer has been the influx of increased funding to support this work. This influx, which has been due primarily to the tireless efforts of breast cancer activists to gamer addi tional money from various federal and state sources, has led to a rapid expansion of research efforts by attracting numerous new investigators into the field. These new investigators include students, postdoctoral fellows, and scientists from other fields.

All being done, we went to Mrs Shipmans, who is a great butter-woman; and I did see there the most of milke and cream, and the cleanest, that I ever saw in my life (29 May 1661). Among others, Sir Wm. Petty did tell me that in good earnest, he hath in his will left such parts of his estate to him that could invent such and such things -as among others, that could discover truly the way of milk coming into the breasts of a woman ... (22 March 1665). My wife tells me that she hears that my poor aunt James hath had her breast cut off here in tow- her breast having long been out of order (5 May 1665). From the Diary of Samuel Pepys, published as The Shorter Pepys (edited by R. Latham), Penguin Books (1987) The long-standing ultimate importance of research on the mammary gland is illustrated by the importance attached to cows' milk for human consumption, to human lactation and to breast cancer by Samuel Pepys and his contemporaries in the middle of the 17th century. Research has tended to develop in isolation in these three areas of continuing contemporary importance largely because in most countries, the underlying science of agricultural productivity is funded separately from the underlying science of human health and welfare.