News: Stem Cells in Breast Milk

One of Katherine's Public Service Announcements . . .

I was thrilled to learn at my LLL meeting yesterday that breast milk has been discovered to contain stem cells. If my understanding is correct, there are two kinds of stem cells: the most basic kind which can develop into anything and the slightly more mature stem cells which can develop into fewer things. Amazingly, it is the most basic kind of stem cells that are found in good old breast milk. All the scientists had to do to harvest the cells was have lactating women pump some milk: easy as pie and essentially free. There are many popular articles on the subject online (see here and here) and I will post a link to the original scientific study if I can find it. [EDIT: I have been given a pdf version of the study, which does not seem to be available publicly online. If anyone wants it, email me and I can email you the pdf.]

Now scientists are wondering what is the purpose of having such powerful stem cells in the milk which babies will drink. What happens when stem cells coat the digestive system of babies? Are stem cells one of the previously undiscovered ingredients in breast milk that "act to close up the leaky mucosal lining of the newborn, making it relatively impermeable to unwanted pathogens and other potentially harmful agents"?

Newborns have an open gut. When babies lose their "virgin gut" by being fed or even supplemented with formula, pathogens and proteins which babies cannot yet digest (because they lack the enzymes) can penetrate the intestinal walls, leading to digestive distress and a potential of a lifetime of food allergies. (Read The Case for the Virgin Gut here.) Perhaps these stem cells are one of the ways breast milk protects babies from these troubles.

I'll never get over wondering at God's perfect design!