Well, nature… nothing surprises us anymore.
Scientists have discovered that our breasts ‘self-destruct’ once they finish the milk production process. These amazing lumps of mammary tissue transition to milk machines and back again in a remarkably short amount of time.
Normally, clearing away these breast cells when breastfeeding has ended, should be a painful process as our immune system breaks them down.
Biologically, this SHOULD mean we would experience tissue damage as well as major inflammation. But scientists have long pondered why the excess milk and large numbers of dead cells are removed from the breast without the immune system being activated.
This new study, by the University of Sheffield in the UK, discovered that it is actually a certain protein called Rac 1 that causes breast cells to change from milk secretors to cannibals. Researchers carried out tests on mice who were bred without this particular protein. Charles Streuli, who supervised the study, told New Scientist;
“Without Rac1, the dead cells and milk flood the interconnecting breast ducts causing them to bloat and triggering chronic inflammation, the bloated ducts then fail to regenerate and produce milk in a future pregnancy. This is the first time it’s been demonstrated that Rac1 is not just involved in this process- it’s crucial for it to happen at all. Rac1 also seems to keep these dying cells attached to the alveoli for longer, and this could encourage them to eat each other, rather than getting the immune cells involved”
Of course, this is interesting for mothers, but it could also help us figure out why some cells become cancerous. This particular cellular process can occur in many other organs too, so by studying Rac1 we can hone in on these epithelial cells that eat each other, as they are the same cells that over ninety per cent of cancers come from.
Yes, ladies, our breasts are amazing AND could even help cure cancer.
