Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM)

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a complex trilayered structure of phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol, glycoproteins, and proteins that envelops the triglyceride core of milk fat globules secreted by mammary epithelial cells. It originates from the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes during fat droplet formation and extrusion, accounting for 2-6% of the globule mass while providing 60-70% of milk's phospholipids despite low overall abundance. MFGM components like sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, gangliosides, lactadherin, butyrophilin, and perilipin-2 support key functions such as emulsion stability, protection from enzymatic breakdown in the gut, and promotion of brain development through neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. In infant nutrition, it aids intestinal barrier integrity, pathogen resistance, and gradual fat absorption, with bioactive proteins facilitating cell signaling, lipid transport, and immune modulation. Although enriched in human milk, bovine MFGM shows health-promoting potential in studies on cognition, gut microbiota, and metabolic outcomes, positioning it as a functional dairy ingredient rather than a conventional drug target.

Other names

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM)MFG membrane