T lymphocytes in human milk: Their role in immune system maturation through maternal microchimerism

Abstract excerpt

Breastfeeding promotes the trafficking of immune cells and soluble factors from the mother to the neonate during lactation, resulting in maternal microchimerism. Human milk is abundant in T lymphocytes, but little is known about their priming and actions in neonatal mucosal tissues and their role in conferring immune tolerance in early life. This review summarises recent findings on the characteristics of human...