Some may have known of this discovery, but it was news to me.  
Judy

http://www.mothering.com/sections/news_bulletins/april2008.html#stemcells

Stem Cells Discovered in Breastmilk 
By Christine Pollack 
Breastmilk has been found to contain stem cells, according to research
presented in January at the International Conference of the Society for
Research on Human Milk and Lactation, in Perth, Australia. Dr. Mark Cregan,
lecturer in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Western
Australia, sees this significant finding as a stepping stone to new,
undiscovered benefits of breastmilk.

Stem cells are "generic" cells that can make exact copies of themselves and
also have the ability to produce specialized cells. While adult stem cells
are generally specific to certain cell types such as skin and blood,
embryonic stem cells are more versatile because they can produce cells for
almost any tissue in the body. However, the use of embryonic cells for
research is controversial.

Several years ago, while investigating the intricacies of cells in
breastmilk, Cregan wondered if it also contained the cells' precursors. He
and his team cultured cells from breastmilk and discovered nestin, a
stem-cell "marker." In addition to nestin, Cregan and his team found one
population of stem cells with the potential to, like embryonic stem cells,
differentiate into multiple cell types.

"We already know how breastmilk provides for the baby's nutritional needs,
but we are only just beginning to understand that it probably performs many
other functions," says Cregan. He is eager to see major changes in the next
few years as scientists harvest these stem cells, in a completely ethical
manner, to research treatment for conditions such as autoimmune diseases,
cancer, spinal injuries, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.

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