title: Breast milk and its impact on maturation of the neonatal immune system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to review the evidence that breast milk can actively shape neonate gut immune system development toward a mature immune system capable of responding appropriately to encountered antigens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent findings in the adult have demonstrated the critical role of the interaction between diet, gut microbiota, gut epithelial cells and gut-associated lymphoid tissue in the development of immune responses. Here, we will review what is known in this field in the neonate, compare these data to those obtained in the adult and review how milk factors impact gut immune function in the short and long term.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose that the neonate immune system and maternal milk represent an entity necessary to ensure not only appropriate function in early life but also long term immune homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: University Nice Sophia Antipolis, Tolérance Immunitaire, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turfkruyer
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Verhasselt
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*