NTP develops novel method for visualizing breast cancer progression
Scientists at the National Toxicology Program (NTP) developed a method for converting mammary gland whole mounts to hematoxylin and eosin−stained sections. The new inexpensive procedure can help researchers identify frequently undetected lesions, and it complements standard histological methods. The research team suggested that the approach could provide valuable information on how chemical and environmental exposures alter normal mammary growth. A video of the scientists performing the technique appeared in the Journal of Visualized Experiments.
Mammary glands from rodents are usually collected and prepared for normal histological evaluation, but evaluation of tissue from aged animals can result in inconclusive findings in the absence of a second evaluation technique. The researchers showed that whole-mounted mammary glands collected from mice at various stages of development, from adolescence through reproductive senescence, could be performed with minimal additional effort using common laboratory reagents and supplies.
The authors concluded that when this technique is used in combination with standard histological evaluation of mammary glands, it reduces the chance of false negative findings in investigations of possible mammary carcinogens. Current and future studies are evaluating known endocrine active chemicals to demonstrate its applicability. (GK)
Citation: Tucker DK, Foley JF, Bouknight SA, Fenton SE. 2017. Sectioning mammary gland whole mounts for lesion identification. J Vis Exp; doi: 10.3791/55796 [Online 24 July 2017].