1. Mammary gland histology
025
Mammary gland histology
Objectives:
For the Gross anatomy and Histology of the mammary gland.
Students should be able to:
1. Appreciate the differences in duct numbers per teat.
2. Identify the mammary glands and their main features in all domestic species.
3. Identify their blood vessels, nerves and lymph ducts; appreciate internal structure features.
4. Identify the features of the microscopic structure of active and inactive mammary glands.
SLIDES 98 and 99
Firstly, compare slides 98 and 99 (before looking at the pictures on the display or reading the key
inside the slide box) and decide, with reasons, which slide is from a resting gland and which is from
a lactating gland.
Q 1. Which slide is from the resting gland?
Q 2. Which slide is from the lactating gland?
RESTING GLAND
SLIDE ……….
This is a compound tubular gland.
Illustrate a small area under medium power and label :
Tubules.
Myoepithelial cells.
Intralobular connective tissue.
Interlobular connective tissue.
Lactiferous ducts – look for double layer of epithelium. 1
Q 3. What type of epithelium lines the tubules?

2. 2 LACTATING GLAND SLIDE …….. This is a compound tubulo-alveolar gland.
The slide has two sections (one pink and the other brown).
View first the pink stained section.
Illustrate a small area (under medium power) and label :
Alveoli.
Myoepithelial cells.
Interlobular connective tissue.
Interlobular and lactiferous ducts.
Under high power, identify in the epithelium the fat droplets and eosinophilic protein containing secretion.
Next look at the brown stained section.
(View the pale brown area rather than the dark grey zone).
Lipid is stained brown.
Under high magnification compare the small intracellular fat droplets in the alveolar epithelium with the
larger globules in the adipose cells of the interlobular connective tissue.
Q 4. Why would a stain dissolved in water stain the fat in the sections?