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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery
Published on: May 21, 2012
Bovine milk lymphocytes display the phenotype of memory T cells and are predominantly CD8+
B C Taylor1, J D Dellinger, J S Cullor
1Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis 95616-8739.
Abstract:
The phenotype of bovine milk lymphocytes was investigated and compared to peripheral blood lymphocytes using monoclonal antibodies specific for bovine leukocyte differentiation antigens and flow cytometry. T lymphocytes traffic selectively into bovine milk while B lymphocytes represent a minor population in milk by comparison to peripheral blood. The vast majority of T cells in milk express alpha beta T cell receptors and are predominantly CD8+. T cells in milk express twofold higher levels of CD2 and fivefold lower levels of CD45R, characteristics associated with memory T cells. Grouping of cows by lactational stage and analysis of lymphocyte subpopulation percentages indicated that CD4+ T cells are present in relatively low numbers in milk of cows in the first 50 days of lactation and have a significant tendency to increase in number as lactation progresses.
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