EpiCult™
EpiCult™ Mammary Cell Culture Media
Serum-Free, Defined Media for Mammary Epithelial Cell Culture
EpiCult™ is a line of serum-free, defined culture media that supports mammary epithelial monolayer culture and assays for detecting the presence of mammary precursor cells in mammary colony-forming units (Ma-CFUs) or 3D Matrigel®-based cultures. For researchers interested in culturing mammospheres or tumorspheres derived from breast cancer cell lines, visit our
page to learn about the most published commercially available medium that has been designed and optimized for this purpose.EpiCult™-C: Culture Human Mammary Epithelial Cells
EpiCult™-C Medium is optimized to support the short term culture of human mammary luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells. It can also be used for the enzymatic dissociation of human mammary tissue when supplemented with Collagenase/Hyaluronidase. Watch this video to learn more.

EpiCult™-B: Detect Human or Mouse Mammary Colony-Forming Units (Ma-CFUs)
EpiCult™-B has species-specific formulations for the culture and assay of either human or mouse mammary cells. Detect the presence of mammary precursor cells in Ma-CFUs for quantification, or in 3D Matrigel®-based cultures for an environment that is representative of the in vivo mammary duct structure.
Key Applications
Publications on Normal Mammary Cells
EpiCult™-B (Human)
Eirew P et al. (2008) A method for quantifying normal human mammary epithelial stem cells with in vivo regenerative ability. Nat Med 14(12): 1384-9.
Raouf A et al. (2008) Transcriptome analysis of the normal human mammary cell commitment and differentiation process. Cell Stem Cell 3(1): 109-18.
Stingl J et al. (2001) Characterization of bipotent mammary epithelial progenitor cells in normal adult human breast tissue.Breast Cancer Res Treat 67(2): 93-109.
Raouf A et al. (2008) Transcriptome analysis of the normal human mammary cell commitment and differentiation process. Cell Stem Cell 3(1): 109-18.
Stingl J et al. (2001) Characterization of bipotent mammary epithelial progenitor cells in normal adult human breast tissue.Breast Cancer Res Treat 67(2): 93-109.
EpiCult™-B (Mouse)
Yamaji D et al. (2009) Development of mammary luminal progenitor cells is controlled by the transcription factor STAT5A. Genes & Development 23(20): 2382-7.
Stingl J et al. (2001) Characterization of bipotent mammary epithelial progenitor cells in normal adult human breast tissue. Breast Cancer Res Treat 67(2): 93-109.
Stingl J et al. (2001) Characterization of bipotent mammary epithelial progenitor cells in normal adult human breast tissue. Breast Cancer Res Treat 67(2): 93-109.
Publications on Cancerous Cells
EpiCult™-B (Human)
Kawakubo T et al. (2013) Repression of cathepsin E expression increases the risk of mammary carcinogenesis and links to poor prognosis in breast cancer. Carcinogenesis 35(3): 714-26.
D'Uva G et al. (2013) Beta-Catenin/HuR Post-Transcriptional Machinery Governs Cancer Stem Cell Features in Response to Hypoxia. PLoS one 8(11) e80742.
Law JH et al. (2010) Molecular decoy to the Y-box binding protein-1 suppresses the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells whilst sparing normal cell viability. PLoS One 5(9): e12661.
Diehn M et al. (2009) Association of reactive oxygen species levels and radioresistance in cancer stem cells. Nature 458(7239): 780-3.
Lindvall C et al. (2006) The Wnt signaling receptor Lrp5 is required for mammary ductal stem cell activity and Wnt1-induced tumorigenesis. J Biol Chem 281(46): 35081-7.
D'Uva G et al. (2013) Beta-Catenin/HuR Post-Transcriptional Machinery Governs Cancer Stem Cell Features in Response to Hypoxia. PLoS one 8(11) e80742.
Law JH et al. (2010) Molecular decoy to the Y-box binding protein-1 suppresses the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells whilst sparing normal cell viability. PLoS One 5(9): e12661.
Diehn M et al. (2009) Association of reactive oxygen species levels and radioresistance in cancer stem cells. Nature 458(7239): 780-3.
Lindvall C et al. (2006) The Wnt signaling receptor Lrp5 is required for mammary ductal stem cell activity and Wnt1-induced tumorigenesis. J Biol Chem 281(46): 35081-7.
EpiCult™-B (Mouse)
Chen EP et al. (2014) Myeloid COX-2 deletion reduces mammary tumor growth through enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte function.Carcinogenesis 35(8):1788-97.
Teissedre B et al. (2009) MMTV-Wnt1 and -DeltaN89beta-catenin induce canonical signaling in distinct progenitors and differentially activate Hedgehog signaling within mammary tumors. PLoS ONE 4(2): e4537.
Shimono Y et al. (2009) Downregulation of miRNA-200c links breast cancer stem cells with normal stem cells. Cell 138(3): 592-603.
Shafee N et al. (2008) Cancer stem cells contribute to cisplatin resistance in Brca1/p53-mediated mouse mammary tumors. Cancer Res 68(9): 3243-50.
Teissedre B et al. (2009) MMTV-Wnt1 and -DeltaN89beta-catenin induce canonical signaling in distinct progenitors and differentially activate Hedgehog signaling within mammary tumors. PLoS ONE 4(2): e4537.
Shimono Y et al. (2009) Downregulation of miRNA-200c links breast cancer stem cells with normal stem cells. Cell 138(3): 592-603.
Shafee N et al. (2008) Cancer stem cells contribute to cisplatin resistance in Brca1/p53-mediated mouse mammary tumors. Cancer Res 68(9): 3243-50.
EpiCult™-C (Human)
Zhang L et al. (2013) The identification and characterization of breast cancer CTCs competent for brain metastasis. Sci Transl Med 5(180): 180ra48.
Publications on Non-Mammary Tissue
EpiCult™-B (Human)
Ghosh M et al. (2013) Human Tracheobronchial Basal Cells: Normal Versus Remodeling/Repairing Phenotypes in vivo and in vitro.Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 49(6): 1127-34.
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