In earlier periods human milk was believed to be sterile and do not contain any microbial load. Nowadays plenty of research shows the presence of Probiotic microbes in human milk, I want to know how the microbes enter the human milk or breast.
In one study a variety conducted by Martin et al., (2005) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species was isolated from human milk, including Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus fermentum. Study results indicate breast milk LAB may originate from the microbiota in the mother’s gut through an endogenous route. Dendritic cells penetrate the gut epithelium to take up noninvasive bacteria directly from the gut lumen. Gut-associated lymphoid tissue cells pick up the live, noninvasive bacteria and it can then spread to other locations because of the circulation of lymphocytes within the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue. Bacterial-stimulated cells then move from the intestinal mucosa and distantly colonize the respiratory, genitourinary, salivary, lachrymal glands, and mammary glands. It is a selective process of colonization of the mammary gland during the period of lactation period by cells of the immune system regulated by the lactogenic hormone. It is through this process an abundance of such cells is found in breast milk
Reference: Martin, R., Olivares, M., Marin, M., Fernandez, L., Xaus, J., & Rodriquez, J.M. (2005). Probiotic potential of 3 Lactobacilli Strains isolated from breast milk. Journal of Human Lactation, 21: 8-17. doi: 10.1177/0890334404272393
You can also have a look on this newly paper.
Article Microbiota of Human Breast Tissue
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