The mammary gland undergoes a spectacular series of changes during its development and maintains a remarkable capacity to remodel and regenerate during progression through the lactation cycle. This flexibility of the mammary gland requires coordination of multiple processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, regeneration, stress response, immune activity, and metabolic changes under the control of diverse cellular and hormonal signaling pathways. The lactating mammary epithelium orchestrates synthesis and apical secretion of macromolecules including milk lipids, milk proteins, and lactose as well as other minor nutrients that constitute milk. Knowledge about the subcellular compartmentalization of these metabolic and signaling events, as they relate to milk production and secretion during lactation, is expanding. Here we review how major organelles (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondrion, lysosome, and exosome) within mammary epithelial cells collaborate to initiate, mediate, and maintain lactation, and how study of these organelles provides insight into options to maintain mammary/breast health.

乳腺在其发育过程中经历了一系列惊人的变化，并在整个哺乳周期的进程中保持着显着的重塑和再生能力。乳腺的这种灵活性需要在多种细胞和激素信号通路的控制下协调多个过程，包括细胞增殖、分化、再生、应激反应、免疫活性和代谢变化。哺乳期乳腺上皮协调大分子的合成和顶端分泌，包括乳脂、乳蛋白和乳糖以及构成乳汁的其他微量营养素。关于这些代谢和信号事件的亚细胞区室化的知识正在扩大，因为它们与哺乳期间的产奶和分泌有关。