Marsupial and monotreme milk-a review of its nutrient and immune properties.

ABSTRACT: All mammals are characterized by the ability of females to produce milk. Marsupial (metatherian) and monotreme (prototherian) young are born in a highly altricial state and rely on their mother's milk for the first part of their life. Here we review the role and importance of milk in marsupial and monotreme development. Milk is the primary source of sustenance for young marsupials and monotremes and its composition varies at different stages of development. We applied nutritional geometry techniques to a limited number of species with values available to analyze changes in macronutrient composition of milk at different stages. Macronutrient energy composition of marsupial milk varies between species and changes concentration during the course of lactation. As well as nourishment, marsupial

SUBMITTER: Stannard HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7319036 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature