Description
The breast is a gland with a lobular organization of the tissues.
This art piece shows 4 of the 10 -20 lobes that make up the glandular tissue of the breast, each with their own lactiferous duct that enters the nipple. Each lobe consists of 20-40 lobules and each of the lobules contains an extra-lobular duct that connects to the main duct. The lobules are made up of glandular sacs called acini, or alveoli which are lined by two layers of epithelium. The inner lining has cuboidal cells and and are responsible for milk production while the outer lining contains smooth muscle cells that enable the glands to contract. Intra-lobular ducts collect the mi;k and transport it to the extra-lobular duct.