Signal or Nutrient: Breast Milk Lipids in Macrophages

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A recent article identified a role for alkylglycerol (AKG)-type ether lipids in human breast milk in the regulation of the development of fat tissue in nursing babies (Figure 1). Intriguingly, the lipids affected tissue-resident macrophages in the fat tissue, adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs), not the adipose cells themselves. Using mice, Yu and colleagaues showed that … Read more

Night Time Breast Milk Helps Babies Sleep

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The benefit of breast milk in providing passive immune protection to infants is well known. What may be less known is that the composition of breast milk changes throughout the day, following the 24 hour circadian cycle. I certainly was not aware of this when I had my children. For breastfeeding mothers who are always … Read more