LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
"K. Jean Cotterman" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 3 Mar 2011 02:38:26 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (38 lines)
Sorry Anna if my answer was too ???? (involved?) You can't say I didn't warn you;-) I have been known to have other controversial and independent thoughts about the anatomy of the breast too;-)


But if you didn't get my drift, I was disagreeing with at least one dimension of Cathy's explanation, in that I personally am not convinced that nature permits the cream (or any other part of milk either) to rise back up all the way into the alveoli or the vicinity of the lactocytes. This is because of the micro-anatomy of the little tube called the ductule, (plus the specific gravity of the fat and skim components.)



I learned of the ductule from reading about the microanatomy of the human breast in the histology book I cited. I am not aware of anyone in the lactation community as yet ever having recognized or addressed it's presence. (or possible function.) I do not know if it exists in the microanatomy of the mammary glands of other mammals. It seems as if researchers could actually study that possibility in vitro.



I laid out my hypothesis in detail deliberately to stimulate further thought and perhaps challenge even further study on the matter, if someone thinks it important enough. Until and unless they do present evidence, I reserve the right to reason that no portion of the residual milk can ever travel completely all the way back up into the alveoli or adjacent to the lactocytes. Up to the top of the ducts, yes, but back into the alveoli??? No. For that reason, I don't worry too much about apoptosis of the lactocytes from comfortable external pressure anywhere on the breast.



I believe it must actually be the FIL in the new milk being secreted that, when enough milk builds up to provide the back pressure, works with the FIL to cause slowdown in the rate of production till MER and further milk removal changes the local condition of the lactocytes in the alveoli.


I do continue to wonder if the ducts themselves perceive chemical stimuli from the FIL in them and perhaps somehow send neural messages to the lactocytes to slow down production. Or not. Seems pretty farfetched to me, come to think of it. And I admit that extreme fullness of the ducts could certainly raise the overall pressure within the skin envelope of the breast to eventually help slow production. Plus plugs, mastitis and other bad things, of course.


But thank you for being so delicate about it to the group!


K. Jean Cotterman RNC-E, IBCLC
WIC Volunteer LC, Dayton OH

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome

ATOM RSS1 RSS2