Growth and development of the human infant breast

Abstract

Seventy-two samples of infant breasts, aged from newborn to 2 years, were collected at necropsy. Whole-mount preparations and histological sections were made. A system of classification was devised to study the extent of the structural development of the ductal system (morphological types I, II, and III) and the functional differentiation of the lining epithelium (functional stages I to V). There was no correlation between the age of the infant and the type of development of the ductal system. In contrast, the epithelial differentiation followed a chronological pattern, starting with secretory changes and apparently going through a period characterized by apocrine metaplasia before post-secretory involution. These epithelial changes were not associated with the morphological type of the ductal system. There were no distinguishing features between the breasts from the two sexes. Immunoperoxidase staining for actin and kappa-casein was carried out to study the myoepithelial cells and secretory cells, respectively. Myoepithelial cells were present at all stages and prominent staining for casein was observed up to 2 months of age. Embryonic-type adipose tissue was seen in 7 cases, in one of which it was associated closely with the developing ductal system. Extramedullary hematopoiesis was observed in the periductal connective tissue until 4 months of age. This paper describes the most extensive anatomical and histological study of the human infant breast to date and lays the foundation for a detailed study of the epithelial and stromal changes that take place during human breast development.