Extracellular matrix in mammary gland development and breast cancer progression

The extracellular matrix is one of the essential components of the breast tumor microenvironment, in which the development and progression require extensive reorganization of ECM. In this review, the authors summarized recent findings on functions of ECM microenvironment in mammary gland development, tumor growth, invasion, migration, and metastasis, focusing on the functions of cancer cell-derived ECM in tumor progression.