Differential expression of type XIV collagen/undulin by human mammary gland intralobular and interlobular fibroblasts.

Immunolocalisation of type XIV collagen/undulin in the human mammary gland revealed greater deposition in the interlobular stroma than in the intralobular stroma. The interlobular stroma is located between the breast lobules and their associated intralobular stroma. Fibroblasts isolated from the interlobular stroma synthesised 3- to 5-fold more type XIV collagen/undulin than intralobular fibroblasts, but synthesised type I and type IV collagens in similar amounts. The differential expression of type XIV collagen/undulin was maintained with passage in culture. The results suggest a role for type XIV collagen/undulin in stabilising dense collagen fibrils. The maintenance of two types of structurally distinct stromas may be important during developmental processes in the mammary gland.