>The mother breathes in or otherwise ingests bugs, and they reach her lungs
>and/or her stomach.  Her own immune system kicks in immediately, and makes
>specific antibodies to the bug. Through the lymptahic system, these same
>antibodies travel to the breasts whereupon the breasts make 'twins' of
>these antibodies and secrete them in the breast milk.

 From my knowledge of immunology (admittedly a bit rusty!), I would
suggest that it is the primed B-cells (lymphocytes) that do the
travelling in the lymph and then manufacture antibodies. When some of
the B-cells arrive in the breast, I think they are capable of
switching on other B-cells, so there is a rapid multiplication of the
antibody production in the lymphatic tissue in the breast.

Also, the B-cells in the breast need to be able to produce IgA
versions of the antibodies. These are generally only produced on
secretory surfaces, such as the lungs, gut and breast. In other parts
of the body, other 'switched-on' B-cells will be starting to produce
other classes of antibodies, such as IgG, IgM.

Sarah, I suspect if you want something in a book, it may need to be
an immunology text.
******************************************************************
Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
******************************************************************

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