Understanding the structure and function of the breast is essential for breast health, so here’s everything you need to know!
Breasts are located on the front of our body on either side of the midline of the chest. Specifically, they sit above our pectoral muscles (commonly known as ‘pecs’). Typically, most of our breast tissue extends from our second to sixth rib (depending on breast and body size). The outer edges of the breast tissue extend towards the armpit area and the top of the breast tissue can extend close to the collarbone.
Reminder: Breasts are present in both sexes, males and females.
Breast structure
The female breast is a unique structure and is composed of three major components[1]:
- Adipose (fat) tissue: Makes up the bulk of the breast determining breast size and shape.
- Glandular (mammary) tissue: Made up of lobules (milk-producing glands) and ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple). This is the main functional part of the breast and can change across a woman’s lifecycle, often as result of sex hormone changes during the likes of puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause and postmenopause. This can contribute to changes in the external appearance of a woman’s breast and her breast support requirements throughout her life.
- Fibrous (connective) tissue: Provides support and structure to the breast. It includes ligaments, such as Cooper’s ligaments which are often described as a supporting structure for the breast. However, research has shown that these ligaments offer limited support to the breast and most of the support is provided by the skin overlaying the breast. As a result, any movement of the body causes breast movement, emphasising the need for some level of external support, such as a bra. This need for external support is exaggerated during sport and exercise.
These components are interspersed with blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics.
Breast function
The breasts are often considered as accessory organs of the female reproductive system. The main function of the breast is to produce milk for breastfeeding. The breast can also have a sexual function, as breast and/or nipple stimulation might enhance pleasure.
References
[1]Burbage, J., Norris, M., Horler, B., & Blackmore, T. (2018). Breast health and the exercising female. In The Exercising Female (pp. 160-174). Routledge.