title: Bovine milk lymphocytes display the phenotype of memory T cells and are predominantly CD8+.
abstract: The phenotype of bovine milk lymphocytes was investigated and compared to peripheral blood lymphocytes using monoclonal antibodies specific for bovine leukocyte differentiation antigens and flow cytometry. T lymphocytes traffic selectively into bovine milk while B lymphocytes represent a minor population in milk by comparison to peripheral blood. The vast majority of T cells in milk express alpha beta T cell receptors and are predominantly CD8+. T cells in milk express twofold higher levels of CD2 and fivefold lower levels of CD45R, characteristics associated with memory T cells. Grouping of cows by lactational stage and analysis of lymphocyte subpopulation percentages indicated that CD4+ T cells are present in relatively low numbers in milk of cows in the first 50 days of lactation and have a significant tendency to increase in number as lactation progresses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis 95616-8739.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Dellinger
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cullor
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007774:Lactation; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte