Molecular mechanisms of hormone controlled gene expression in the breast.

In a meritorious effort H. de Rothschild compiled in 1899 all publications on mammary gland development and milk--a grand total of 8375 [1]. In the preface to this publication Duclaux states: 'Such a discrepancy between the tremendous efforts and the paltriness of the results--hundreds of scientists and thousands of research years, just to create 200 or 300 pages of truth'. The number of papers added since then must be enormous. Rather than reviewing a vast literature, I will take the liberty and focus on research which, in my opinion, shaped our understanding of hormone controlled gene expression in the developing breast.