TABLE 4.
Proposed sample analyses to study human milk as a biological system and interactions within the lactating triad.
| Sample Type | Human Milk (Colostrum, Transitional and Mature) | Lactating Parent | Infant or Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genome: Single nucleotide polymorphisms | Cells from lactating parent | Blood | Blood or saliva |
| Saliva | |||
| Epigenome: DNA methylation | Cells from lactating parent | Blood | Blood |
| Oral or nasal swabs | Oral or nasal swabs | ||
| Saliva | Saliva | ||
| miRNA/exosomes | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
| Nutrients: Proteins, lipids, HMO, vitamins, minerals, trace elements | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
| Urine | Urine | ||
| HMO | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
| Feces | Feces | ||
| Urine | Urine | ||
| Microbiome and metagenome: Bacteria, fungi, Archaea, viruses | Human milk | Feces | Feces Saliva Swabs: Oral, nasal, skin |
| Saliva | |||
| Swabs: Oral, nasal, vaginal, skin (including nipple and areola) | |||
| Metabolome and proteome | Human milk | Blood Feces Urine |
Blood Feces Urine |
| Lipidome | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
| Immune cells and proteins | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
| Hormones and growth factors | Human milk | Blood | Blood |
HMO, human milk oligosaccharide.