Lactation and Health

ANFS 101 Animals, Science, and Society

Lesion

Change in a body organ from disease or injury.

Antibody

A cell type that provides specific immunity.

Pathogen

Can cause disease in another organism.

Contagious

If a disease is readily transmitted.

Etiology

Cause of a disease.

Antigen

Stimulates the immune system.

Capillaries

Brings nutrients that are the components of milk to the mammary gland.

Mastitis

Inflammation of the mammary gland.

Symptom

In a disease, this is an observable difference from normal.

Lactose

Carbohydrate found in milk.

Mosquito

A vector in the transmission of West Nile virus.

Lactogenesis

Milk synthesis.

Virulence

Degree of pathogenicity.

Alveoli

Contains the secretory cells in the mammary gland.

Milk

Found in the lumen of the alveoli.

Casein

Protein found in milk.

Acute

Describes a disease, which has a very sudden onset and short duration.

Stress

Major predisposing cause of disease.

Protein

Colostrum is much higher in this content than milk.

Pituitary

The rear portion of this structure is the source of oxytocin.

Zoonotic

A disease shared by human and animals.

Involution

Process in which the mammary gland returns to its pre-lactation weight.

Secretory

Milk synthesis takes place in these cells.

Carrier

An animal with sub-clinical infections that is capable of spreading infectious agents.

Myoepithelial

Cells around the alveoli that contract in response to oxytocin.

Reservoir

Population where a disease agent can retreat and animals are slowly infected.

Vaccination

A way to actively acquire antibodies.

Oxytocin

Hormone directly responsible for milk letdown.

Touch

Primary stimulus for milk letdown.

Colostrum

Secreted from the mammary gland at birth.

Chronic

Disease with minor or non-specific symptoms.

Slower

The primary immune response is slower than the secondary immune response.