title: The mammary gland as an immunological organ.
abstract: It has been known for decades that milk contains antibodies but because they were not resorbed by the breast-fed infant they were long regarded to be of no biological significance. However, with the discovery that the dominant milk immunoglobulin was secretory IgA - the first description of this class of antibody - came the realization that breast milk was potentially important for the infant's anti-microbial defense. In this review Lars Hanson discusses the protective capacity of milk and the role of milk IgA in the mucosal defense system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Medical Microbiology Sweden; Department of Pediatrics, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: L Å
authors.initials: LÅ
authors.lastname: Hanson