What is Breast Tissue?
Breast tissue is a complicated arrangement of tissues closely tied to nerves, blood vessels and fatty tissues, also called adipose tissue. When physicians refer to breast tissue, they tend to mean the tissues that build into the mammary glands. Breast tissue that is milk producing is often called mammary glands. Breast tissue may be described as having multiple mammary glands, or may be described as having a single mammary gland that is composed of nodes called lobules. These lobules join together to form a milk duct, which can produce milk. Adipose cells often separate these individual lobules in breast tissue. One can almost always feel the milk ducts upon breast self-exam. In fact, recognizing ducts is an important part of understanding one’s body, so that other lumps felt can be differentiated from normal breast tissue. At the areola, the darkish skin surrounding the nipple, special glands secrete a substance similar to sweat that is vital to the nursing mother. It helps to lubrica
