Anatomy study note · Upper limb

Breast

The mammary gland lies in the superficial fascia of the front of the chest. It is rudimentary in men and in girls before puberty; in women it is the milk-producing gland.

Key points

• Rib 2–6, sternum to midaxillary line; axillary tail.
• 15–20 lobes → lactiferous ducts → nipple.
• Suspensory ligaments → dimpling in cancer.
• Lymph: lateral quadrants → anterior (pectoral) axillary nodes; medial → internal thoracic nodes.
• Cancer commonest in the upper outer quadrant (~60%).
• Milk ridge → supernumerary nipples.
• Breast: surface ectoderm, pectoral part of the milk line.
• Lactating alveoli: lipid apocrine, protein merocrine.
• Oxytocin → myoepithelial cells eject milk.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Location · Features · Blood supply · Lymph drainage · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 3, PDF pp. 244–256, 459
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 8, PDF pp. 117–119
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 19, PDF pp. 357–358

More from the upper limb

• Carpal bones
• Cephalic vein
• Clavicle
• Coracobrachialis
• Deltoid
• Dorsal scapular nerve
• Elbow joint
• Extensor carpi radialis brevis
• Extensor carpi radialis longus
• Extensor carpi ulnaris
• Extensor digiti minimi
• Extensor digitorum

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