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Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 18, No. 3, 252-261 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/089033440201800307
© 2002 International Lactation Consultant Association

Erythropoietin in Human Milk: Physiology and Role in Infant Health

Richard D. Semba, MD, MPH

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; 550 North Broadway, Suite 700, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

Sandra E. Juul, MD, PhD

Division of Neonatology at the University of Washington

Human milk contains substantial concentrations of erythropoietin, a hormone best known for its role in the regulation of erythropoiesis. Recent studies show that erythropoietin receptors are widely distributed in human tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract, endothelial cells, spinal cord, and brain, suggesting that erythropoietin plays a wider role in infant development. Mammary epithelial cells contribute to the production of erythropoietin in human milk, and erythropoietin concentrations appear to rise slowly in human milk during the first few months of lactation. Current data suggest that erythropoietin in human milk may play a pleiomorphic role in erythropoiesis, neurodevelopment, maturation of the gut, apoptosis, and immunity in the infant.

Key Words: anemia • erythropoietin • human milk • development • infants • immunity


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