Cells of human breast milk

Table 1 Somatic cells content in fresh breast milk when both mother and infant are healthy

Somatic cells	Markers	% of the total cell population		References
Somatic cells	Markers	Colostrum (1 day prepartum or 1 day postpartum)	Peak lactation (month postpartum)	References
Leukocytes	CD45	13–20	1–2	[15, 54]
Myoepithelial cells	CK5, CK14, CK18, CK19, CD49f, SMA	50–90	60–98	[24, 55]
Lactocytes	CK18, EPCAM	50–90	60–98	[24, 55]
Breast milk stem cells (hBSCs)	CD44, ITGB1/CD29, ATXN1/SCA1	10–15	No data	[22, 25, 55]
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)	CD90, CD105, CD73, VIM	10–15	No data	[22, 25, 55]

ISSN: 1689-1392