EGF and infectious disease: Other immune factors present in human milk, including cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors [e.g., IL6, IL7, IL10, epidermal growth factor (EGF), TGFβ], contribute to differentiation of IgA-producing cells, playing a pivotal role in the maturation of the infant GI-associated immune system and in protecting the newborn against infectious diseases (16).