IRIG pursuits further potential of egg.

IgY and Passive Immunity

- Antibody transfer from mother to child -
In mammals, the fetus grows within its mother’s womb until it is sufficiently developed for birth. However, newborns lack the robust immune system required to defend themselves from the bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that are ubiquitous outside the womb. For this reason newborns rely on antibodies transferred from the mother. This temporary reliance on the mother’s immune system after birth is called “maternal immunity.”

In humans, antibodies are transferred via
the placenta to the fetus pre-birth and via milk to the child post-partum. In other mammals as well antibodies are transferred from mother to child through milk.


-Avian maternal immunity-
The same maternal immunity system that protects mammalian offspring also exists in birds, although it inherently cannot rely on either placenta or milk (since birds have neither). The avian solution is to stock maternal antibodies in the egg, especially the yolk. Thus when the chick develops from the egg, it already possesses antibodies inherited from its mother to protect it from external pathogens.

-Passive immunity utilizing avian maternal immunity-
Immunity developed by an animal in the course of its own life is called “acquired immunity.” In contrast, the immunity acquired through external antibodies is called “passive immunity”. One example of passive immunity is to give IgY from birds to humans or livestock. If chickens are exposed to human or livestock pathogens, they create antibodies against these pathogens that are then accumulated in the chicken’s egg yolk. These chicken egg antibodies can be used to supply passive immunity for preventing infections and eliminating pathogens in both humans and livestock.