Peter Eirew and his colleagues describe a new assay for detecting, quantifying and characterizing normal human mammary epithelial stem cells. The assay, which combines in vivo transplantation under the kidney capsule of immunodeficient mice and an in vitro colony-forming assay, provides a system for studying the mechanisms regulating normal human mammary stem cell proliferation and differentiation in vivo and in human breast cancer.
- Peter Eirew
- John Stingl
- Connie J Eaves