Final answer:
Breast milk is produced by milk-secreting cells, travels through a network of lactiferous ducts, and exits through the nipple. The areola features Montgomery glands that provide lubrication during breastfeeding. Breast size is unrelated to milk production levels, which are maintained by hormonal factors, particularly prolactin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Structure and Function of Lactating Breasts
The mammary glands within a female's breasts are highly specialized structures responsible for secreting milk to nourish an infant post-birth. During lactation, milk is produced by milk-secreting cells called lactocytes, which line the balloon-like structures known as alveoli. The milk then moves to lactiferous ducts, and in response to an infant's suckling, myoepithelial cells surrounding the alveoli contract to push the milk through these ducts towards the lactiferous sinuses.
The lactiferous ducts extend to a network of lobules arranged in clusters, with each lobule draining to a common duct. These ducts terminate at the nipple where 4 to 18 perforations, or nipple pores, allow the milk to exit the nipple. The areola, the darkened skin surrounding the nipple, is home to Montgomery glands which secrete an oily fluid to protect and lubricate the nipple during breastfeeding. The hormone prolactin plays a vital role in stimulating and maintaining the milk supply within the glands.
It is important to note that breast size is largely determined by the amount of fat tissue present and does not correlate with the volume of milk produced by the mammary glands. Instead, the volume is supported by the structural integrity of connective tissues, such as the suspensory ligaments, which attach the breast tissue to the dermis of the skin above.