Differentiation of breast cancer cells in vitro is promoted by the concurrent influence of myoepithelial cells and relaxin (original) (raw)
- Experimental Oncology
- Published: 01 November 1994
British Journal of Cancer volume 70, pages 900–904 (1994)Cite this article
- 145 Accesses
- 30 Citations
- 6 Altmetric
- Metrics details
Abstract
Our previous studies showed that relaxin promotes differentiation of MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells. In the current investigation, we aimed to elucidate whether the effect of the hormone is potentiated when MCF-7 cells are grown together with myoepithelial cells, thus creating a microenvironment reminiscent of the organised tissue architecture of the mammary parenchyma in vivo. The findings obtained reveal that most MCF-7 cells cultured alone have an undifferentiated, blast-like phenotype, only a minority showing a more differentiated phenotype with more organelles and rudimentary intercellular junctions. When co-cultured with myoepithelial cells more MCF-7 cells acquire ultrastructural features consistent with a more differentiated phenotype, such as a rich organellular complement, apical microvilli and intercellular junctions. When relaxin was added to the co-cultures, the ultrastructural signs of differentiation could be observed in even more MCF-7 cells and became more pronounced than in the absence of the hormone, judged by the appearance of a clear-cut polarisation of cytoplasmic organelles, an almost continuous coat of apical microvilli and numerous intracellular pseudolumina.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Additional access options:
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Italy
D Bani
Authors
- D Bani
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - A Riva
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - M Bigazzi
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - T Bani Sacchi
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bani, D., Riva, A., Bigazzi, M. et al. Differentiation of breast cancer cells in vitro is promoted by the concurrent influence of myoepithelial cells and relaxin.Br J Cancer 70, 900–904 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.417
- Issue Date: 01 November 1994
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.417
This article is cited by
Dynamic and influential interaction of cancer cells with normal epithelial cells in 3D culture
- Laura P Ivers
- Brendan Cummings
- Nobue Itasaki
Cancer Cell International (2014)
Myoepithelial cells: good fences make good neighbors
- Melissa C Adriance
- Jamie L Inman
- Mina J Bissell
Breast Cancer Research (2005)
Putting tumours in context
- Mina J. Bissell
- Derek Radisky
Nature Reviews Cancer (2001)
Cytokines facilitate chemotactic motility of breast carcinoma cells
- Koji Arihiro
- Hiroyo Oda
- Kouki Inai
Breast Cancer (2000)