OBJECTIVETo investigate the primary culture of mammary epithelial cells derived from human breast hypertrophy.

METHODSMammary epithelial cells of human breast hypertrophy were isolated and cultured by the collagenase digestion method. The morphology observation and identification of the cultured cells were performed by inverted microscope observation, HE staining and cytokeratin immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSMost of the cultured cells were pebbles-like or polygon under the inverted microscopy. Some had irregular form. They had typical island-like appearance during multiplication with close connection between the cells. The HE staining results showed the cytoplasm was stained pink or lilac, the nucleus was stained bluish violet and was round or oval in shape, with clearly visible chromosomes in dark blue. The cytokeratin immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the tissue-specific expression of cytokeratin 18 in epithelial cells by the cytoplasm stained claybank.

CONCLUSIONHigh purity of primary mammary epithelial cells derived from human breast hypertrophy can be obtained by the collagenase digestion method and conditioned medium.