Figure 1.
The stroma associated with normal mammary gland differs profoundly from stroma associated with a mammary carcinoma. (A) Note that the normal mammary gland has sparse connective tissue (arrow) surrounding the duct and abundant adipose tissue (*). (B) The carcinoma contains abundant connective likely as a result of growth factor production by the carcinogenic environment. Note the dense collagen bundles associated with fibroblasts (*) and the numerous small blood vessels and capillaries (arrow heads). The carcinoma cells form aberrant gland structures (green arrows) or grow in cords without gland formation (black arrow).