MAMMO 1 - External Breast

• Nipple

• Areola

• Montgomery's Gland

• Morgagni's Tubercles

• Apocrine Glands

• Hair Follicles

• Inframammary Fold (IMF)

• Skin

External Breast

Nipple

• Conical projection located just below the center of the breast

• At the level of the 4th intercostal space, 10 cm from midline

• Contains numerous nerve endings (important for sensitivity & breastfeeding)

• Pierced by 15–20 lactiferous ducts

• Has circular & longitudinal smooth muscle fibers

  • Circular = nipple stiffens

  • Longitudinal = nipple flattens

• Contains a few modified sweat and sebaceous glands

Areola

• Pigmented skin surrounding the nipple

• Rich in modified sebaceous glands (especially outer margin)

• These glands enlarge during pregnancy/lactation, forming tubercles of Montgomery

• Oily secretions:

  • Lubricate nipple and areola

  • Prevent cracking during lactation

• Also contains sweat glands and accessory mammary glands

• Beneath it lies the lactiferous sinus (milk storage)

Montgomery’s Gland

• Also called Montgomery's tubercles

• Sebaceous (oil) glands appearing as small bumps around the areola

• Observed in 30–50% of pregnant women

• Function:

  • Lubrication

  • Protection from germs

Morgagni’s Tubercles

• Located near the periphery of the areola

• Formed by the openings of Montgomery’s glands

• These glands:

  • Large sebaceous glands

  • Capable of secreting milk

  • Represent an intermediate stage between sweat and mammary glands

Apocrine Glands

• Secrete fat droplets into breast milk

• Thought to help lubricate and protect the nipple and areola during breastfeeding

Hair Follicles

Usually produce hair, but:

• In the areola, they don’t contribute to hair growth as elsewhere

• Likely a remnant of evolutionary development

• No clear modern functional role

Inframammary Fold (IMF)

• Also called the inframammary crease or breast crease

• Natural curved line where lower edge of breast meets chest wall

• Marks the boundary between breast tissue and chest skin

• Support & structure

• Bra fitting

• Cosmetic relevance

Functions of IMF