The Breast The breasts of an adult woman are milk-producing, tear-shaped glands. They are supported by and attached to the front of the chest wall on either side of the breast bone or sternum by ligaments. They rest on the major chest muscle, the pectoralis major. The breast has no muscle tissue. A layer of fat surrounds the glands and extends throughout the breast. The breast is responsive to a complex interplay of hormones that cause the tissue to develop, enlarge and produce milk. The three major hormones affecting the breast are estrogen, progesterone and prolactin, which cause glandular tissue in the breast and the uterus to change during the menstrual cycle. Each breast is made up of fifteen to twenty lobes of glandular tissue. The number of lobes is not related to the size of the breast. Each lobe is made up of thousands of tiny glands called alveoli or acini. These glands are connected together by a series of ducts, much like grapes on a vine. The alveoli (alveolus and acinus singular) produce milk and other substances during lactation. Each lobe feeds into a single lactiferous duct that travels out through the nipple. As a result there are fifteen to twenty passages through the nipple, resulting in just as many openings in the nipple. Behind the nipple the lactiferous ducts enlarge slightly to form small reservoirs called lactiferous sinuses. Each sinus is 2-4mm (0.08-0.16in) in diameter. Fatty and connective tissues surround the lobes of glandular tissue. The amount of fatty tissue is depended on many factors including age, percentage of body fat, and heredity. Cooper's ligaments connect the chest wall to the skin of the breast, giving the breast its shape and elasticity. The nipple and areola are located near the center of each breast. They most often have a color and texture that is different from that of the surrounding skin. Their color varies from very pale pink to black, and darkens during pregnancy and lactation. Their texture can vary between very smooth to wrinkled and bumpy. The nipple usually projects outward from the surface of the breast. The areola is the like pigmented area surrounding the nipple. The size of both varies considerably from woman to woman, and some size variation is normal from breast to breast on the same women. The nipple and areola are composed of smooth muscle fibers and a dense network of nerve endings. The nipples become erect as the result of muscular contractions, not blood engorgement. Erect nipples are not by themselves an indication of sexual arousal. The nipples may become erect as a result of many forms of stimulation that are not sexual in nature, and a woman's nipples may not be erect when she is sexually aroused. The area of the areola is populated by several oil producing Montgomery's glands. These glands may form raised bumps and be sensitive to a woman's menstrual cycle. These glands act to protect and lubricate the nipple during lactation. Some nipples project inward or are flat with the surface of the breast. The later are referred to as inverted nipples and neither condition appears to negatively impact a woman's ability to breast-feed. It is common today to say the female breasts have two functions or roles in a woman's life, one is sexual and the other is maternal. This is not an accurate statement to make as the breasts work the same during sex and lactation. It is the breast's ability to feed our children that makes them capable of producing sexual pleasure. Why are the nipples so often very sensitive to touch? The likely answer is, to reward a mother for nursing her children. Nature has built in a means of positive reinforcement that encourages women to breast-feed their children. It may not be instinct alone that compels women to care for their children. In addition, the uterine contractions resulting from nipple stimulation serve to cause the uterus to shrink rapidly in size, perhaps allowing the mother to be better prepared to care for and protect her newborn baby. It just so happens that orgasms also involve uterine contractions. The connection between nipple stimulation, sexual arousal, and orgasm some women experience is no accident and its primary purpose is not sexual, even though that is how it frequently benefits a woman. Keep in mind it is society that has defined it as sexual versus maternal. There is a reason for why our body functions as it does, that reason is not always in agreement with what society expects of it. Natural Breast Enhancement| Breast Augmentation| Breast | Breast Size| Tips for Breast Health|Breast Enhancement Exercises Copyright ©1999-2005, Natural breast enlargement enhancement.com.