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Review
. 2009 Jan 12;364(1513):51-60.
doi: 10.1098/rstb.2008.0137.

Maternal transfer of antibodies in vertebrates: trans-generational effects on offspring immunity

Dennis Hasselquist  1 , Jan-Ake Nilsson
Affiliations
Review

Maternal transfer of antibodies in vertebrates: trans-generational effects on offspring immunity

Dennis Hasselquist et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. .

Abstract

Maternal effects by which females provide their offspring with non-genetic factors such as hormones, nutrients and antibodies can have an important impact on offspring fitness. In vertebrates, maternal antibodies (matAb) are transferred from the mother, via the placenta, egg yolk or milk during lactation to offspring until they are 2 weeks (birds), 4-10 weeks (rodents) and 9 months (humans) old, respectively. matAb transfer can have direct effects on offspring growth rate in birds and rodents, probably by passively protecting the newborn from common pathogens before their endogenous immune system has matured. Indirect long-term effects of matAb transfer on the offspring's own immunity can be synergistic, if matAb act as antigen templates of the accumulated immunological experience of the mother and educate the newborn's immune system. However, it may also be suppressive if matAb reduce antigen presentation to the newborn resulting in antigen-specific blocking of offspring endogenous immunity. Our aim is to review the mechanisms and direct effects of matAb transfer in vertebrates with an emphasis on birds, outline a framework for research on the long-term effects of matAb on the endogenous immune system of the mature offspring and encourage ecological and evolutionary studies of matAb transfer in non-domesticated animals.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Positive, neutral and negative effects of matAb on the endogenous immune system and fitness of offspring in three different life stages. Neonate, from birth/hatching to the age when all the matAb are catabolized; young, from the start of the development of the offspring's endogenous immune system to a fully matured immune system; mature, the adult life stage. Arrows denote a schematic development of costs and benefits depending on the effect of matAb on the developing endogenous immune system of offspring.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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