Mammary alveolus

Mammary alveolus

Anatomical terminology

The Breast: cross-section scheme of the mammary gland.
1. Chest wall
2. Pectoralis muscles
3. Lobules
4. Nipple
5. Areola
6. Milk duct
7. Fatty tissue
8. Skin
Not to be confused with pulmonary alveolus.

A mammary alveolus (plural: alveoli, from Latin alveolus, "little cavity") is a small cavity or sac found in the mammary gland.[1][2] Alveoli are the site of milk production and storage in the mammary gland.[1][2] Alveoli cluster into groups called lobules, and each breast may contain 15–20 of these lobules.[1][2] The lobules drain milk through the lactiferous ducts out of the nipples.[1][2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Susan Blackburn (14 April 2014). Maternal, Fetal, & Neonatal Physiology. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 146–. ISBN 978-0-323-29296-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "SEER Training: Breast Anatomy". National Cancer Institute. Retrieved 9 May 2012.



This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, July 27, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.