Mammary alveolus

Not to be confused with pulmonary alveolus.
Mammary alveolus
Anatomical terminology
The breast: cross-section scheme of the mammary gland.

A mammary alveolus (pl.: alveoli, from Latin alveolus, "little cavity") is a small cavity or sac found in the mammary gland.[1][2] Mammary alveoli are the site of milk production and storage in the mammary gland.[1][2] Mammary alveoli cluster into groups called mammary lobules, and each breast may contain 15 to 20 of these lobules.[1][2] The lobules drain milk through the lactiferous ducts out of the nipples.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b c d Susan Blackburn (14 April 2014). Maternal, Fetal, & Neonatal Physiology. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-323-29296-2.
  2. ^ a b c d "SEER Training: Breast Anatomy". National Cancer Institute. Retrieved 9 May 2012.