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  • Title: [Immunologic importance of breast milk].
    Author: Speer CP, Hein-Kreikenbaum H.
    Journal: Monatsschr Kinderheilkd; 1993 Jan; 141(1):10-20. PubMed ID: 8446110.
    Abstract:
    Breast milk contains a great variety of immunological factors. Besides unspecific humoral factors (Lactoferrin, Lysozyme etc.) various immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) can be identified. Secretory IgA which is resistant against proteolytic digestion constitutes the greatest fraction of immunoglobulins. Specific activity of S-IgA is directed against a great number of entero- and bronchopulmonary pathogenic organisms. In lactating mothers the common mucosal defense system has been shown to contribute to the de-novo-synthesis of S-IgA via the entero-bronchomammalian axis. In addition, the formation of antiidiotypic antibodies in the infant is induced by maternal milk antibodies. Among the cellular components, breast milk macrophages seem to play a role in the local protection of the infants' intestinum; the physiologic function of T-lymphocytes has not been elucidated yet. Despite contradictory results, a number of epidemiological studies provide evidence that breast feeding is associated with a reduced incidence of gastrointestinal and pulmonary infectious diseases in infants.
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