Abstract 2577 Quantifying the immunohistochemistry staining of primary breast cells

Pericytes are mesenchymal cells that envelop microvessels and contribute to their stability through the secretion of collagen IV and other basement membrane components. They are found in every tissue type, however are difficult to identify via immunostaining because of their similarities to other mesenchymal cell types, like fibroblasts. The lack of cellular markers has contributed to the paucity of available pericyte cell models for study. Through a comprehensive cellular and molecular dissection of the human breast, our laboratory has developed a method for identifying, isolating, and culturing every cell type in the breast-including pericytes.