Discovery of a New Cellular Motion and Its Relevance to Breast Cancer and Involution

Mechanisms establishing and controlling tissue polary are central both to normal breast function and breast cancer. Molecular studies have revealed key proteins that mediate and maintain cell- and tissue- polarity however, the fundamental biophysical processes whi h a single cell must undergo multiple rounds of mitosis to assemble into polarized tissue-like structures and that are the fundamentals of loss of tissue architecture are hardly understood. We placed single non-malignent cells in 3-D laminin-rich lrECM cultures to observe what of the cells could form 3-D acinar structures. Wsing high resolution real time imaging, we identified a morphogenic behavior where mammary epithelial eel undergo organized multiple rotations to establish an acinus a sphere with hollow lumen. We named this Jlovement .QOherent . ngular motion CAMo. Here we are investigating the role of CAMo in normal development, aging and breast cancer progression.