Immortalized Human Mammary Epithelial Cells (HMEC 2.6)

Immortalized Human Mammary Epithelial Cells 2.6 (HMEC 2.6) are epithelial cells isolated from normal mammary tissue. They have been genetically altered in a well-defined manner to allow for continuous growth in culture. These cells were immortalized with the intention of providing scientists with a mammary epithelial cell line that maintained characteristics of epithelial cells while allowing for greater longevity in culture than primary mammary epithelial cells. HMEC 2.6 cells characteristically show epithelial morphology and expression of epithelial markers such as cytokeratins and cell-cell adhesion proteins.

Due to their epithelial origin, HMEC 2.6 cells function similarly to normal breast epithelial cells. They can be used to study normal mammary gland biology including proliferation, differentiation, and epithelial cell interactions. When provided with the correct conditions, these cells will demonstrate organization that is characteristic of epithelial tissues. HMEC 2.6 cells also respond to growth factors and hormones in a manner similar to normal mammary epithelial cells. As these cells are derived from normal mammary tissue, they are often used as a control to compare the biology between normal breast cells and breast cancer cells.