Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mammary gland
Mammary glands are the organs that, in the female mammal, produce milk for the sustenance of the young. These exocrine glands are enlarged and modified sweat glands and are the characteristic of mammals which gave the class its name.
The basic components of the mammary gland are the alveoli (hollow cavities, a few millimetres large) lined with milk-secreting cuboidal cells and surrounded by myoepithelial cells. These alveoli join up to form groups known as lobules, and each lobule has a lactiferous duct that drains into openings in the nipple. The myoepithelial cells can contract, similar to muscle cells, and thereby push the milk from the alveoli through the lactiferous ducts toward the nipple, where it collects in widenings (sinuses) of the ducts. As the infant begins to suckle, the hormonally mediated "let down reflex" ensues and the mother's milk is secreted into - not sucked from the gland by - the baby's mouth.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
April 1, 2026
Mar. 31, 2026 A surprising breakthrough suggests that a drug best known as Viagra could help treat a devastating childhood disease. Researchers found that sildenafil significantly improved symptoms in patients ...
Mar. 31, 2026 DNA robots are emerging as tiny programmable machines that could one day deliver drugs, hunt viruses, and build molecular-scale devices. By borrowing ideas from traditional robotics and combining them with DNA folding techniques, scientists are ...
Mar. 31, 2026 Salt substitutes offer a simple, low-cost way to reduce sodium intake and improve blood pressure, yet very few Americans actually use them—even among those who need them most. A large national analysis spanning nearly two decades found that usage ...
Mar. 31, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising secret about our DNA: it’s not a static blueprint, but a constantly shifting, folding structure that helps control how genes turn on and off. Researchers at the Salk Institute found that different parts of ...
Mar. 31, 2026 A breakthrough urine test could dramatically speed up how doctors treat urinary tract infections, identifying the right antibiotic in under six hours instead of waiting days. By testing directly from urine—skipping the usual lab culturing ...
Mar. 30, 2026 A dramatic surge in kratom-related poison center calls is raising alarm among health experts, as new data shows cases have jumped more than 1,200% over the past decade. Alongside the spike, hospitalizations and deaths linked to the widely available ...
Mar. 30, 2026 A new study suggests that simplifying your diet by eating the same meals and keeping your calorie intake consistent could help you lose more weight. Researchers found that people who followed predictable eating routines during a 12-week program lost ...
Mar. 30, 2026 Deep sleep does far more than rest the body — it activates a powerful brain-driven system that controls growth hormone, fueling muscle and bone strength, metabolism, and even mental performance. ...
Mar. 30, 2026 A major analysis of nearly 10,000 patients shows that simple, non-drug treatments like knee braces, hydrotherapy, and exercise can significantly ease knee osteoarthritis symptoms. These approaches not only reduce pain and improve mobility, but also ...
Mar. 30, 2026 A large U.S. study reveals that more than a quarter of people with hard-to-treat high blood pressure may have an overlooked hormone problem. Elevated cortisol—often linked to stress—was found in 27% of these patients, far higher than expected. ...
Mar. 30, 2026 A powerful cholesterol-lowering drug may be changing the rules of heart disease prevention. Researchers found that evolocumab, typically used for people who already have cardiovascular disease, can significantly cut the risk of first-time heart ...
Mar. 30, 2026 Just a few minutes of getting out of breath each day could dramatically cut your risk of major diseases—including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. A large study of nearly 100,000 people found that it’s not just how much you move, but how ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Mar. 29, 2026 Scientists have discovered that the ocean’s “missing” plastic hasn’t vanished—it has broken down into trillions of invisible nanoplastics ...
Mar. 29, 2026 After a stroke, the brain may do something surprisingly hopeful—it can “refresh” parts of itself. Researchers analyzing brain scans from over 500 stroke survivors found that while the damaged ...
Mar. 29, 2026 A major new U.S. cholesterol guideline is shifting the focus toward earlier, more personalized prevention of heart disease. It urges people to start screening sooner—sometimes even in ...
Mar. 29, 2026 What teens eat might matter more for their mental health than previously thought. A sweeping review of nearly 20 studies found that healthier diets are often linked to fewer depressive symptoms, ...
Mar. 29, 2026 Nicotine e-cigarettes may be one of the most effective tools yet for quitting smoking, according to a sweeping review of global research. By ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have developed a new gene therapy that quiets pain at its source in the brain—without the addictive risks of opioids. Using AI to map how pain is processed, they created a targeted ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have created a new kind of carbon material that could make carbon capture much cheaper and more efficient. By carefully controlling how nitrogen atoms are arranged, they found certain ...
Mar. 28, 2026 A widely used sugar substitute found in everything from keto snacks to diet drinks may not be as harmless as it seems. New research shows that erythritol can disrupt brain blood vessel cells, ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have uncovered how your body actually tells your brain to stop eating when you’re sick. In a new study, researchers found that ...
Mar. 28, 2026 Scientists have identified a key biological system that helps brown fat burn energy by building the networks it needs to function. A protein called ...