title: Our Mothers' Antibodies as Guardians of our Commensals.
abstract: Mucosal secretory IgA protects the mammalian body from invasion of commensal bacteria colonizing the intestine. A recent murine study in Cell shows that commensal-specific antibodies of the IgG isotype are also present in the serum and that maternal commensal-specific IgA and IgG are crucial for maintaining host-microbe mutualism in the offspring.
authors.affiliation: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin, Inselspital, Murtenstrasse 35, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: stephanie.ganal@dkf.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Stephanie C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ganal-Vonarburg
authors.affiliation: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin, Inselspital, Murtenstrasse 35, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: andrew.macpherson@dkf.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Macpherson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D007774:Lactation; D051379:Mice; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G