Breast milk contains stem cells, which can be passed to the infant | The Biology of Breast Milk
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Stem cells have the potential to develop into different types of cells in the body. These cells are undifferentiated, so they cannot do specific functions in the body. Instead, they have the potential to become specialized cells, such as muscle, blood, or brain cells. Human breast milk contains mammary stem cells – precursor cells from the mother that may help establish organs like the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and brain, a phenomenon known as microchimerism. In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick describes the strange phenomenon and role of mammary stem cells in breast milk.
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Breast milk News
- Breast milk contains special indigestible sugars solely for feeding co-evolved infant gut microbiota.
- Infants given formula containing milk fat globule membranes (found in human breast milk) scored better on tests of cognitive, language & motor skills.
- Breast milk components affect infant growth and help prevent obesity in early childhood.
- Sugar present in breast milk promotes myelin repair in multiple sclerosis.
- Vaccine-based mRNA does not pass into breast milk.
