Calcitonin-like immunoreactivity in human milk, longitudinal alterations and divalent cations

• Published in: Acta physiologica Scandinavica 1984-12, Vol.122 (4), p.461-464
• Main Authors: ARVER, S., BUCHT, E., SJÖBERG, H.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Breast milk; calcitonin; Calcitonin - analysis; Calcitonin - immunology; calcitonin immunoreactivity; calcium; Calcium - analysis; Cations, Divalent - analysis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; ionized calcium; magnesium; Magnesium - analysis; man; milk; Milk, Human - analysis; Mother. Fetoplacental unit. Mammary gland. Milk; nutrition; Pregnancy; Pregnancy. Parturition. Lactation; Time Factors; Vertebrates: reproduction; zinc; Zinc - analysis
• ISSN: 0001-6772; 1365-201X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1984.tb07534.x

The concentration of immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) in human milk was 10–40 times the serum level. Thus in milk samples collected from 29 mothers within one week and from 46 mothers three months post partum the levels of iCT were respectively 2.46±0.99 ng/ml (mean ± SD) and 0.58±0.08 ng/ml. Eight of the 29 mothers delivered milk at two occasions, 1–2 and 4–6 days after delivery. There was a significant decline of iCT with about 20% during this period. One mother delivered milk for two months. During the first week after delivery the iCT decreased from 1.4 to 0.5 ng/ml and after that the iCT content remained rather constant. The level of ionized calcium (Ca++) was correlated to iCT the first week post partum (r=0.72 p