mSphere of Influence: The maternal gut-mammary axis and its role in shaping neonatal health

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2025

A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
08:50

A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development

Published on: June 24, 2020

3.7K

Stephanie N Langel1

  • 1Department of Pathology, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Msphere
|February 26, 2025
PubMed

Stephanie Langel works in the field of breast milk immunity and maternal-neonatal health. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how three pivotal papers-Roux et al. (J Exp Med 146:1311-1322, 1977, https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.146.5.1311), Wilson and Butcher (J Exp Med 200:805-809, 2004, https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20041069), and Rogier et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111:3074-3079, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1315792111)-made an impact on her by uncovering the critical pathways and mechanisms through which gut-derived IgA-secreting cells migrate to the mammary gland and secrete antibodies against intestinal microbes. These foundational studies shaped her understanding of the gut-mammary axis and continue to inspire her research aimed at advancing maternal and neonatal health through breast milk immunology.

Keywords:
IgAIgA antibody secreting cellsbreast milk immunitygut-mammary axisinfectious diseaseintestinal microbiotamaternal immunitypassive transfer

More Related Videos

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus13:00

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus

Published on: July 31, 2021

3.5K
A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

363

Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
71.2K
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
282
The Mammary Glands01:12

The Mammary Glands

The female breast is a hemispheric projection of variable size positioned anterior to the pectoralis major and serratus anterior muscles. A fascia layer composed of dense, irregular connective tissue connects it to these muscles.
Each breast features a pigmented projection known as the nipple, through which milk emerges via closely spaced openings of ducts, referred to as lactiferous ducts. Surrounding the nipple is a circular pigmented area of skin named the areola, which appears rough due to...
295
Parental Care00:55

Parental Care

Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
11.4K
Transcytosis of IgG01:15

Transcytosis of IgG

Transcytosis is the process in which molecules are internalized by endocytosis, transported across the cell, and released through exocytosis from the opposite end of the cell. Molecules such as insulin, immunoglobulins, and certain nutrients are transferred through the recycling endosomes by recycling and transcytosis.
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
2.7K
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
842