Publications

Mammary gland development is a complex process involving dynamic interaction between theepithelial and stromal components at different critical stages, particularly around puberty. Whileepithelial tissue changes are well-documented, stromal mechanisms are less understood. To addressthis gap, this study employed histology, lipidomic, and transcriptomic analyses to investigatemolecular and cellular dynamics in the mammary gland during pre-puberty (Post Natal Day (PND21)),peri-puberty (PND46), and adulthood (PND90) in rats. The epithelial area was significantly smallerat PND21 than at PND46 and PND90, with a higher complexity at PND21 compared to PND46.Significant differences in adipocyte number and size were observed between PND21, PND46, andPND90. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 1563 genes changed significantly between PND21and PND46, with only 14 genes altered between PND46 and PND90. Enrichment analyses indicateddynamic regulation of pathways related to proliferation, differentiation, lipid metabolism, andimmune responses. In lipidomic analysis, 29/43 and 7/43 fatty acids differed significantly betweenPND21 - PND46 and PND46 - PND90, respectively. These results suggest that mammary glanddevelopment involves complex interactions between metabolic demands, hormonal regulation, andimmune responses.