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Growth Rates of Normal and Abnormal Human Mammary Epithelia in Cell Culture¹

Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley 94720 [G. C. B.], and Pathology Department, Peralta Hospital, Oakland, California 94609 [R. R. W.]

The in vitro growth rates of different classifications of human mammary epithelium were compared. Samples included 4 established breast cell lines and excised tissue or breast fluid cells originating from 40 different women and comprising 3 classifications: normal, nonmalignant atypical, and malignant. Growth was quantitated in situ and expressed as population-doubling time. Principal findings were: (a) malignant cells divided at a slower mean rate than normal cells; (b) population-doubling time values of malignant cells were more heterogenous than those of normal cells; (c) cultures from nonmalignant atypias showed population-doubling time means and standard deviations between those of normal and malignant cells; and (d) long-term mammary tumor cell lines divided more slowly than did normal cells. Discussion includes implications of data for the preneoplastic state and cell culture of mammary epithelium.

¹ This research was supported by contract N01-CP-53502 with Virus Cancer Program, National Cancer Institute, and by a Faculty Research Grant from the University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 10/ 9/75. Accepted 7/ 8/76.

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