title: Immune components of colostrum and milk--a historical perspective.
abstract: Key developments in the understanding of the immune functions of milk and colostrum are reviewed, focusing on their proteinaceous components. The topics covered include the immunoglobulins, immune cells, immunomodulatory substances, and antimicrobial proteins. The contributions of new technologies and the introduction of fresh approaches from other fields are highlighted, as are the contributions that mammary biology research has made to the development of other fields. Finally, a summary of some current outstanding questions and likely future directions of the field are given.
authors.affiliation: Dairy Science and Technologies Section, AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand. tom.wheeler@agresearch.co.nz
authors.forename: Thomas T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hodgkinson
authors.forename: Colin G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Prosser
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008892:Milk / Q000266:history / Q000276:immunology*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins