mamaria

Mamaria is a term derived from Latin referring to the breast, and more specifically to the mammary gland, the milk-producing organ of mammals. In humans, the two breasts lie on the anterior chest, typically over the pectoral muscles, and consist of glandular tissue, ducts, connective tissue, and varying amounts of adipose tissue that determine size and contour.

The functional unit is the lobule, composed of alveoli lined by milk-secreting epithelium. These lobes drain through a network of ducts that converge at the nipple and areola. Blood supply is mainly from the internal thoracic and lateral thoracic arteries, with venous drainage to the axillary and internal thoracic veins. Lymphatic drainage primarily reaches the axillary lymph nodes and, to a lesser extent, the parasternal nodes. Nerve supply largely comes from intercostal nerves.

Development and function: At puberty, estrogen and other hormones drive ductal and stromal growth. During pregnancy, progesterone and other hormones promote lobuloalveolar development. Lactation is controlled by prolactin, which stimulates milk synthesis, and oxytocin, which triggers milk ejection in response to suckling.

Clinical notes: The breasts can be affected by benign conditions such as fibrocystic changes and mastitis, and by malignancies such as breast cancer. Male breast development can occur (gynecomastia). Mammography and ultrasound are common imaging tools for evaluation and screening. The term mamaria is also used adjectivally in anatomical contexts, as in glandula mammaria.