Breast milk cell components and its beneficial effects on neonates: need for breast milk cell banking

Abstract

Universal breastfeeding has been a stated policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization as well as UNICEF. Human milk is considered as the gold standard for infants owing to its colossal nutritional values. However, the presence of various cellular components of breast milk have been gaining more attention in recent years since the first discovery of mammary stem cells in 2007, thereby providing a ray of hope not only for growth and immunity of the neonate but also an insight into its regenerative applicability. In this relation, this article summarizes the cell components of breast milk that have been identified to date. It highlights the beneficial effects of these cells for term and preterm delivered infants along with the need for breast milk and its cell banking.

Keywords

• breast milk
• preterm and term infants
• stem cells
• cell constituents
• growth factors
• breast milk banking